TREASURY

Economic Growth Projections

Wayne David: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the most recent growth projections for the British economy are.

Paul Boateng: The Government last published forecasts for the UK and world economy in the Budget on 10 March 2004, with UK GDP projected to grow by 3 to 3.5 per cent. both this year and next. We will update our forecasts, as usual, in the forthcoming 2004 pre-Budget report.

Business Link

Sally Keeble: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on plans to change the tax status of Business Link organisations.

Dawn Primarolo: Changes to the way Business Link organisations deliver their services mean that an increased part of their service is being provided free of charge. This has implications for VAT. It is a basic principle of VAT that when an activity is provided free of charge there is no supply for VAT purposes and the supplier therefore cannot recover the VAT incurred on purchases.
	Customs are currently working with the Small Business Service, Regional Development Agencies and Business Link organisations to put in place simplified arrangements to enable Business Link organisations to calculate their tax liabilities.

Start-up Companies

Chris Grayling: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact on start-up companies of section 22 of the Finance Act 2003.

John Healey: We are aware, from sector representations, that reform of the taxation of employee shares through schedule 22 of Finance Act 2003 has resulted in uncertainty of tax treatment for researchers in universities starting up spinout companies.
	Officials are working closely with the sector to identify solutions that provide certainty of tax treatment. the Government are committed to creating a clear fiscal environment that enables public sector research establishments to grow companies based on their research.

Growth Forecasts (North-West)

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes he has made to his forecasts for growth in the North West since this year's Budget.

Stephen Timms: HM Treasury does not produce economic forecasts for individual regions of the United Kingdom. However, I can report that the regional policies this Government has put in place to level up the performance of all regions to that of the best has seen the North West enjoying above UK average growth of GVA per capita in recent years and the highest employment and lowest unemployment since records began.

Employment

Joan Humble: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to achieve progress towards full employment.

Stephen Timms: The Government's long-term goal is employment opportunity for all—the modern definition of full employment. Its aim is to ensure a higher proportion of people in work than ever before by 2010. The Government's strategy is set out in "Full Employment in Every Region", published alongside the 2003 pre-Budget report, and is based on maintaining macroeconomic stability and ensuring a dynamic and flexible labour market that equips people to adapt to change.

Indirect Taxation

Peter Atkinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the change in the level of indirect taxation between 1997 and 2004.

Dawn Primarolo: In 1996–97, revenues from taxes collected by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise totalled £89.8 billion, equivalent to 10.7 per cent. of Gross Domestic Product. In 2003–04, the corresponding figures were £115.7 billion, or 10.4 per cent. of GDP.
	The change reflects a combination of factors including strong economic growth and consumer spending, policy changes—including real-terms cuts in the duties on fuel and alcohol, and increases in tobacco duties—and successful efforts by Customs and Excise to measure and tackle losses from fraud, avoidance and non-compliance.

Workforce Skills

Jon Trickett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has held with the Secretary of State for Education and Skills on the effects on the economy of developing workforce skills.

Stephen Timms: Treasury Ministers have regular dialogue with their colleagues in the Department for Education and Skills about a range of issues, including the importance of developing the skills of the workforce.

Third World Debt

John MacDougall: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met G8 leaders to discuss progress towards reducing Third World Debt.

Stephen Timms: At the Annual Meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in Washington, donors agreed to work together to extend the HIPC initiative for a further two years. This will enable another 10 countries to benefit from over $30 billion of debt relief, freeing up resources which can be spent on health and education and the eradication of poverty.
	G8 Finance Ministers have been asked to report back by the end of the year on additional measures that can further help developing countries address the sustainability of their debt, including the UK's decision to provide our share of up to 100 per cent. cancellation of multilateral debt for the poorest countries.

Climate Change

Anne McIntosh: To ask The Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the role of economic instruments in tackling climate change and global warming.

John Healey: The Government have introduced a number of economic instruments to help tackle the challenge of climate change—including the climate change levy, enhanced capital allowances, and the reform of company car taxation. The role of economic instruments in tackling environmental challenges was set out in "Tax and the Environment: using economic instruments", published alongside PBR2002. The Government continues to explore options for using cost-effective economic instruments, alongside other policies, to tackle climate change and global warming, taking into account all social, economic and environmental objectives.

Millennium Goals

Win Griffiths: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been achieved in meeting the millennium goals.

Stephen Timms: The world is on track to meet the poverty reduction goal. Progress towards the other seven goals varies. On current rates of progress, Sub-Saharan Africa will not meet any of the goals by 2015. For this reason, the Prime Minister set up the Commission for Africa to generate further international action on Africa. The Government are also seeking to raise the finance needed to meet the Millennium Development Goals, through the International Finance Facility.

G7 Presidency

Clive Efford: To ask The Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the economic objectives of the UK's presidency of the G7.

Stephen Timms: The Government sees the UK's Presidencies of the G7 and the EU in 2005 as an opportunity to develop consensus for, and action towards, the appropriate responses to the challenges and opportunities of today's global economy.
	This includes: a greater focus on development to ensure that the world's poorest can share in rising prosperity; structural economic reform in the developed world to increase flexibility; and ensuring that we have the correct structures and institutions in place to deal with these challenges and opportunities.

Drug-related Deaths

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many drug-related deaths were recorded in England in the last five years.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 9 November 2004
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Jim Cunningham, dated 11 November 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many drug-related deaths were recorded in England in the last 5 years. (196443)
	Available figures are related to deaths from drug poisoning, not on the number of deaths which were drug-related. The most recently available information is for deaths in 2002. Figures are shown in the table below for the calendar years 1998 to 2002.
	
		Number of deaths from drug-related poisoning(1), England,1998 to 2002 2
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1998 2,753 
			 1999 2,788 
			 2000 2,772 
			 2001 2,699 
			 2002 2,507 
		
	
	(1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes 292, 304, 305.2–305.9, E850-E858, E950.0-E950.5, E962.0 and E980.0-E980.5 for 1999 and 2000, and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-IO) codes FII-F16, FI8-F19, X40-X44, X60-X64, X85 and YJO-Y14 from 2001 onwards.
	(2) Data are for deaths occurring in each calendar year.

Gambling

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what meetings (a) he, (b) his departmental Ministers and (c) advisers and officials have held with representatives of (i) Sun City International, (ii) MGM Mirage, (iii) Mandalay Resort Group, (iv) Kerzner International, (v) Las Vegas Sands, Inc., (vi) Harrah's Entertainment, (vii) Caesar's Entertainment and (viii) other foreign casino firms; what the (A) dates and (B) venues of the meetings were; and which individuals were present;
	(2)  which (a) UK and (b) international organisations have submitted written representations to the Department concerning the Government's proposals for changes to legislation on gambling; and on what dates each representation (i) was received and (ii) was given a substantive response;
	(3)  on what dates (a) Ministers and (b) officials in the Department have held meetings with representatives of the UK gambling industry to discuss proposed changes to legislation on gambling.

Don Foster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the occasions on which (a) he and (b) other Ministers in his Department have met representatives of (i) US casino operators, (ii) British casino operators and (iii) casino operators from other countries to discuss gambling issues, broken down by date of meeting.

John Healey: The Chancellor keeps all taxation under review. As part of policy development and analysis, Treasury Ministers and officials receive representations from, and have meetings with, a wide range of organisations and individuals, including the gambling industry. All such contacts are conducted in accordance with the "Ministerial Code" and the "Civil Service Management Code".

Gambling

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the overseas visits made by (a) Ministers and (b) officials in the Department in relation to proposed changes to legislation on gambling; what the itinerary was for each visit; how long each visit lasted; which hotels were used; what the cost was in each case; and how each visit was funded.

John Healey: holding answer 1 November 2004
	Since 1999 this Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House.
	An official of HM Customs and Excise visited France in connection with the proposed changes to legislation on gambling. The cost of the visit was met by the Department.

Physical Activity

Don Foster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average level of physical activity (a) including and (b) excluding walking was in each region for each year in which the General Household Survey has been published since 1990; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Don Foster, dated 11 November 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the average level of physical activity including and excluding walking in each region for each year in which the General Household Survey has been published since 1990. (197365)
	The General Household Survey, carried out by the Office for National Statistics, periodically publishes participation rates in at least one sport, game or physical activity (including and excluding walking). The latest available estimates are for the 2002 survey. The attached tables show participation rates in the 4 weeks before interview for:
	(a) Government Office Region, 2002;
	(b) Standard Region, 1996;
	Unfortunately, regional analyses for 1990 to 1993 are not readily available.
	In England, adults living in the North, West Midlands and Yorkshire and Humberside regions were the least likely to have taken part in some sport or physical activity during the four weeks before interview (57%, 59% and 61% respectively) and those living in the South West, East Anglia or the two South East regions outside of London were the most likely to have participated (66%, 67%, 68% and 67% respectively). Adults living in Scotland also had high participation rates (66%) compared with England (64%) and Wales (63%).
	Scotland had the highest participation rate at 62% compared with 58% in England and 57% in Wales. In England, adults living in the South West were more likely than those in other regions to have participated in at least one activity excluding walking (50% compared with 37% to 46% for other regions in England).
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the General Household Survey are subject to sampling variability.
	
		Games and Physical activities: participation rates in the four weeks before interview by Standard Region 1996 1.Persons aged 16 and over Great Britain: 1996
		
			  Percentages participating in the 4 weeks before interview 
			  At least one activity excluding walking At least one activity Unweighted sample base–100 per cent. 
		
		
			 North 41 57 966 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 43 61 1362 
			 North West 47 63 1739 
			 East Midlands 44 64 1182 
			 West Midlands 42 59 1456 
			 East Anglia 52 67 635 
			 Greater London 45 62 1661 
			 Outer Metropolitan Area 51 68 1518 
			 Outer South East 49 67 1450 
			 Total South East 48 66 4629 
			 South West 46 66 1433 
			 England 46 64 13402 
			 Wales 42 63 842 
			 Scotland 46 66 1452 
			 Great Britain 46 64 15696 
		
	
	(3) Regional data are only available from the General Household Survey for 1996 and 2000
	Source:
	General Household Survey
	
		Games and Physical activities: participation rates in the four weeks before interview by Government Office Region 2002(4) Persons aged 16 and over Great Britain: 1996
		
			  Percentages participating in the 4 weeks before interview 
			  At least one activity excluding walking At least one activity Weighted base (000s)=100 per cent. Unweighted sample(5) 
		
		
			 North East 37 55 2,005 695 
			 North West 41 56 4,951 1770 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 41 56 3,693 1292 
			 East Midlands 42 57 2,998 1106 
			 West Midlands 39 54 3,737 1317 
			 East of England 45 60 3,766 1316 
			 London 44 55 5,179 1640 
			 South East 46 63 6,025 2249 
			 South East 50 65 3,713 1376 
			 England 43 58 36,067 12841 
			 Wales 40 57 2,083 756 
			 Scotland 44 62 3,737 1222 
			 Great Britain 43 59 41,887 14819 
		
	
	(4) Regional data are only available from the General Household Survey for 1996 and 2002
	(5) Weighting for non-response was introduced on the General Household Survey in 2000, in order to reduce non-response bias and improve the quality of data. For 2002 the weighted base (000's) shown is the base for percentages. Bases for earlier years are of similar size and can be found in GHS reports for each year.
	Source:
	General Household Survey

Hospices (VAT Relief)

Lady Hermon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 19 October 2004, Official Report, column 580W, on hospices (VAT relief), on which purchases hospices can benefit from specific VAT zero rates.

Dawn Primarolo: pursuant to the reply, 27 October 2004, Official Report, c. 1295W
	I very much regret that the opening sentence of my earlier answer inadvertently contained information that was incorrect. It should have read:
	The construction of a new building for use as a hospice and the first sale of a hospice converted from an existing non-residential building is VAT zero-rated.
	I apologise for this mistake.

Voluntary Sector Funding

Helen Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on funding for the voluntary sector.

Paul Boateng: Government funding represents a significant proportion of overall revenue for the voluntary and community sector, and is rising in absolute and percentage terms. The Home Office plans to publish a report on central Government funding for the voluntary sector at the end of November.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Ex-Members

Tom Cox: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what facilities an ex-Member of the House of Commons who holds an ex-Member's pass is able to use within the Palace of Westminster; and if he will make a statement.

Archy Kirkwood: An ex-Member's pass allows the holder to use the Terrace Cafeteria and the Strangers' Bar and, on Monday lunchtimes only, the Members' Dining Room (the smaller of the two) in the House of Commons.

Green Travel Plan

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what plans he has to introduce a green travel plan for the parliamentary estate to include hon. Members.

Archy Kirkwood: Travel arrangements made by hon. Members to or from the parliamentary estate are not primarily the responsibility of the House of Commons Commission. Cycle parking facilities are provided on the estate for hon. Members, their staff and staff of the House of Commons. In the past year, former Member's car parking bays in Star Chamber Court have been converted into cycle parking racks, and additional racks have been provided outside 7 Millbank.

WALES

Departmental Events (Funding)

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the (a) conferences, (b) publications, (c) initiatives, (d) projects and (e) receptions organised by his Department which have received funding from outside commercial bodies since May 1997, broken down by (i) funding body and (ii) amount paid.

Don Touhig: None.

Departmental Publications (Accessibility)

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many and what proportion of publications issued by his Department are available in (a) Braille, (b) autoprint, (c) large print and (d) easy read format.

Don Touhig: The Wales Office has never been requested to provide any of its publications in any of these formats. In the event that such a request was received, the Office would endeavour to meet it.

Theft and Fraud

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what his estimate is of the cost of theft and fraud to (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies in each year since 1997.

Don Touhig: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Secretary of State for Wales to the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) on 21 January 2003, Official Report, column 73W.
	The Wales Office was established on 1 July 1999. The Wales Office does not sponsor any agencies or non-departmental public bodies.
	Since this time, there has been no reported theft or fraud against this office.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Departmental Staff

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of the staff in his Department in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003 were people with disabilities.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: I refer the hon. Member for Buckingham to the reply given by my hon. Friend, the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 9 November 2004, Official Report, column 619W.

Development Awareness Fund

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding his Department has spent on the Development Awareness Fund.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: Since 1998–99 a total of £27.6 million has been spent on the Development Awareness Fund.
	
		
			  Amount spent (£ million) 
		
		
			 1998–99 1.5 
			 1999–2000 3.0 
			 2000–01 5.0 
			 2001–02 5.4 
			 2002–03 6.2 
			 2003–04 6.5 
			 Total 27.6

Nigeria

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions the Government have had with the Nigerian Government on the implementation of the UK's Country Assistance Plan in Nigeria.

Hilary Benn: The Department for International Development has carried out extensive consultations on the new Nigeria Country Assistance Plan (CAP) with the Nigerian Government, both at federal and state level. We have also consulted widely with the private sector and civil society organisations. Discussions have included the Minister of Finance, the Chief Economic Adviser to the President, other members of the Economic Reform Team, the National Planning Commission, the Nigerian High Commission in London, and various federal Government agencies. State and local governments were consulted in a series of meetings held across the country. I personally met with a range of government representatives during my visit to Nigeria in September.
	We will continue to work closely with our Nigerian partners in Government, Civil Society, the Private Sector and the Nigerian Diaspora as we move to implement the new CAP.
	I will arrange for a document entitled "Report on the Outcomes of DFID Nigeria's CAP Consultation with Key Stakeholders in Nigeria and the UK" to be placed in the Libraries of the House.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

CHP

Brian White: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received on the new energy efficiency commitment being used to stimulate the market for micro-combined heat and power and domestic heat pumps.

Elliot Morley: The consultation exercise on proposals for the Energy Efficiency Commitment after 2005 received a number of suggestions for the inclusion of an incentive for innovative technologies. The consultation period closed on 13 August. Following the formal consultation process, we received a number of representations from Members of Parliament in support of a specific amendment to the Order. They hoped that their proposal would assist the promotion of new energy efficient technologies, such as domestic heat pumps and micro combined heat and power.
	We have been considering all suggestions as part of the development of the draft legislation for the next phase of the Energy Efficiency Commitment to be laid before Parliament shortly.

Coastal Defences

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and (b) English Heritage concerning the weighting given to heritage in the calculation of need for coastal defences.

Elliot Morley: I have had no direct discussion on this issue with my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.
	However English Heritage, as the Government's statutory adviser on matters concerning the conservation of England's historic built environment, was consulted during development of guidance on environmental appraisal of flood and coastal defence projects and of the scoring system for prioritising such projects for Defra grant aid. English Heritage is also represented on Defra's Stakeholder Forum to inform the Government's new Strategy for Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management.
	Economic justification for proposed defences should as far as possible take into account benefits arising from protection of all assets, including heritage assets. Higher benefits in relation to costs will tend to increase a proposed project's priority score and, additionally, a specific allowance is made for protection of heritage assets in the scoring system. It is important to note that the priority scoring system does not attempt to determine the need for defences in an absolute sense but to prioritise proposed projects so that finite funding is allocated to best effect nationally.

Cattle Farming (Payments)

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been paid out under (a) the Beef Special Premium Scheme, (b) the Suckler Cow Premium Scheme, (c) the Slaughter Premium, (d) the Over 30 Scheme and (e) the Beef National Envelope in each county in England in 2003–04; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: The total amount paid out under the (a) Beef Special Premium Scheme (BSPS), (b) Suckler Cow Premium Scheme (SCPS), (c) Slaughter Premium Scheme (SPS), (d) Over 30 Month Scheme (OTMS), and the (e) Beef National Envelope (BNE) for each county in England for the 2003 scheme year is as detailed in the following table:
	
		£
		
			  Total amounts made 
			 County (a) BSPS (b) SCPS (c) SPS (d) OTMS (e) BNE 
		
		
			 01 Bedfordshire 432,540.82 240,698.36 260,205.60 234,000.00 45,870.70 
			 02 Berkshire 489,940.96 410,595.45 353,921.03 510,000.00 78,266.76 
			 03 Buckinghamshire 2,345,326.78 1,466,641.36 1,058,461.15 1,203,000.00 279,563.27 
			 04 Cleveland 484,420.23 269,010.57 348,417.18 272,000.00 51,277.32 
			 05 Cambridgeshire 870,222.23 628,872.20 585,820.00 357,000.00 119,873.56 
			 06 Cheshire 2,165,219.46 660,405.88 1,989,998.51 8,049,000.00 125,884.70 
			 07 Cornwall 7,710,376.93 4,958,967.33 3,618,278.56 6,682,000.00 945,231.52 
			 08 Cumbria 9,741,203.17 7,467,836.09 4,265,407.90 10,437,000.00 1,423,453.80 
			 09 Derbyshire 3,673,310.08 2,500,454.59 2,213,018.78 4,532,000.00 476,613.97 
			 10 Devon 13,797,973.56 8,610,686.40 6,432,639.94 11,804,000.00 1,641,091.49 
			 11 Dorset 2,168,117.29 1,219,356.00 1,018,214.39 5,023,000.00 232,416.77 
			 12 Durham 2,779,920.32 2,896,096.95 1,735,019.51 1,366,000.00 552,030.33 
			 13 Essex 929,050.32 560,300.53 580,036.71 620,000.00 106,778.33 
			 14 Gloucestershire 3,162,696.63 1,211,174.12 1,822,607.11 3,015,000.00 293,014.10 
			 15 Hampshire 1,717,528.99 1,237,519.04 847,533.61 1,848,000.00 235,783.48 
			 16 Isle of Wight 300,052.71 214,320.57 125,592.05 296,000.00 40,853.26 
			 17 Hereford and Worcester 5,200,790.71 2,504,898.90 3,280,198.57 3,625,000.00 601,249.05 
			 18 Hertfordshire 312,645.64 485,520.53 157,470.52 325,000.00 92,548.87 
			 20 Kent 1,123,229.26 1,433,191.12 558,292.48 1,267,000.00 273,189.53 
			 21 Lancashire 3,302,878.80 1,836,426.53 2,109,256.60 6,458,000.00 350,035.06 
			 22 Leicestershire 3,219,375.30 1,384,127.62 2,069,433.71 2,634,000.00 263,837.62 
			 24 Lincolnshire 3,109,331.55 2,225,424.75 1,835,109.80 1,408,000.00 424,198.71 
			 25 Merseyside 239,286.09 99,161.82 251,119.55 212,000.00 18,817.21 
			 26 Greater London (part) 16,442.15 68,032.48 11,455.37 54,000.00 12,968.19 
			 27 Greater London (part) 14,511.55 0.00 6,626.64 0.00 0.00 
			 28 Norfolk 2,116,814.56 2,183,499.61 1,818,087.25 1,639,000.00 416,200.35 
			 29 Northamptonshire 2,445,541.30 1,528,972.90 1,395,496.34 1,138,000.00 291,386.02 
			 30 Tyne and Wear 236,962.03 207,716.69 127,183.73 131,000.00 39,583.08 
			 31 Northumberland 5,162,258.53 6,952,500.29 2,039,489.93 2,355,000.00 1,325,163.76 
			 32 Nottinghamshire 1,614,252.26 573,274.04 1,242,231.74 1,023,000.00 109,270.98 
			 33 Oxfordshire 1,961,406.47 1,284,953.85 1,026,067.39 1,184,000.00 244,934.61 
			 34 Avon 1,672,506.73 701,479.68 864,697.85 2,019,000.00 133,668.68 
			 35 Shropshire 5,685,861.05 3,369,253.54 3,475,584.96 6,212,000.00 642,120.99 
			 36 Somerset 4,401,889.67 3,372,014.16 2,418,302.03 7,857,000.00 642,664.34 
			 37 Staffordshire 3,859,998.67 1,580,475.29 2,681,077.52 6,423,000.00 301,204.98 
			 38 Suffolk 936,882.72 879,760.67 808,893.34 763,000.00 167,689.97 
			 39 Scilly Isles 3,100.45 2,825.31 1,335.60 6,000.00 538.55 
			 40 Surrey 648,561.85 488,615.84 285,808.05 612,000.00 93,134.30 
			 41 East Sussex 1,173,121.24 1,149,025.44 486,532.06 1,006,000.00 219,007.40 
			 42 West Sussex 1,217,128.60 747,389.83 677,473.53 1,242,000.00 142,413.88 
			 43 Warwickshire 1,950,038.81 638,252.60 1,174,791.46 1,359,000.00 179,209.00 
			 44 Greater Manchester 504,131.57 423,963.59 404,606.03 529,000.00 80,805.64 
			 45 Wiltshire 2,884,149.06 1,974,269.04 1,466,467.67 4,107,000.00 376,312.19 
			 46 West Midlands 139,245.82 129,896.76 78,896.54 216,000.00 35,207.03 
			 47 South Yorkshire 1,311,858.90 632,002.10 825,752.06 1,462,000.00 120,464.19 
			 48 North Yorkshire (part) 11,320,053.41 5,961,202.88 8,331,910.94 8,624,000.00 1,136,149.36 
			 49 West Yorkshire 1,907,878.25 1,397,405.50 1,193,640.48 225,000.00 266,370.30 
			 50 North Yorkshire (part) 744,329.85 0.00 578,822.63 0.00 0.00 
			 51 Humberside (North) 2,357,999.09 1,377,996.63 1,361,126.80 1,035,000.00 262,656.01 
			 Total 125,562,362.42 82,146,465.43 72,298,411.20 123,398,000.00 15,911,003.21

Consultants/Advisers

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much of her annual departmental budget was spent on the payment of professional advisers and private sector consultants in each year since June 2001.

Alun Michael: Details of expenditure on professional advisers and private sector consultants since June 2001 are not held centrally.
	For the financial year 2003–04, the Department spent £45 million on externally provided professional services, approximately 10 per cent. of core departmental expenditure on goods, services and works.

Consultants/Advisers

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many of the private sector consultants and professional advisers employed by the Department since June 2001 are former civil servants; and, of those, how many were previously employed by her Department and its predecessor.

Alun Michael: The information requested cannot be provided as the Department does not keep records of the employment of staff after they leave the Department. The criteria for the selection of professional service providers in Defra are eligibility, economic and financial standing, and the ability and technical capacity to provide the services required at best whole life cost.

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how the UK defines a specialist private keeper when processing Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species importation applications for primates; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: This is not an expression defined by CITES or used by the UK CITES management authority.

Dairy Farming

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average dairy farm income in (a) England and (b) Lancashire was in the last period for which figures are available.

Alun Michael: In 2002–03 the average net farm income for dairy farms in England was £18,300 and for the north-west Government office region £16,800. There are insufficient farms in the sample to quote county levels of income by farm type for Lancashire. Net farm income is the return to the principal farmer and spouse for their manual and managerial labour and to the tenant-type capital of the business.

Dairy Farming

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) dairy cows and (b) dairy herds there were in the UK in each of the past 10 years for which records are available.

Alun Michael: The following figures show the number of dairy cows and the number of holdings with dairy cows in England from 1994 to 2003.
	
		
			  (a) Dairy cows (b) Holdings with dairy cows 
		
		
			 1994 1,897,024 25,830 
			 1995 1,809,282 24,678 
			 1996 1,783,327 23,798 
			 1997 1,700,250 22,932 
			 1998 1,642,636 22,316 
			 1999 1,659,210 21,326 
			 2000 1,575,320 20,094 
			 2001 1,490,226 18,125 
			 2002 1,462,155 16,897 
			 2003 1,434,727 16,027 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures for the other UK countries fall under the jurisdiction of the devolved authorities.
	2. Figures prior to 2000 show main holdings only. From 2000 onwards all holdings are included.
	Source:
	June Agricultural Census

Departmental Expenditure

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will break down the budget set by her Department for public expenditure on the food industry and crops for financial years (a) 2004–05 and (b) 2005–06 by programme.

Alun Michael: The Department's plans for public expenditure on food industry and crops for the two years 2004–05 and 2005–06 consist of the following programmes:
	
		£ million
		
			 Programme 2004–05 2005–06 
		
		
			 Support for Development of Arable  Crops Policy 6.2 6.2 
			 Plant Health 4.8 4.8 
			 Plant Varieties and Seeds 1.8 1.8 
			 Promoting and Assisting the Food Chain 10.5 13.5 
			 Marketing Inspections 11.1 11.1 
			 Home Grown Cereals Authority 10.3 10.3 
			 Milk Development Council 8.6 8.6 
			 Horticultural Development Council 4.8 5.0 
			 British Potato Council 6.5 6.5 
			 Farm marketing support 9.8 9.8 
			 Total 74.4 77.6

Egg Imports

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the status will be of egg imports from other EU countries where the eggs are produced in conditions that would not meet the standards set for the welfare of laying hens in this country.

Alun Michael: Council Directive 1999/74/EC sets down standards for the protection of laying hens and all eggs produced in the UK or imported from other EU countries have to meet these standards.
	World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules do not permit the prohibition of imports of goods on animal welfare grounds alone. Restrictions can only be applied where there is a threat to human, animal or plant health in the importing country. Restriction on trade of goods based on method of production is not permitted and would put us in breach of WTO rules.

Energy Efficiency/Targets

Brian White: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to ensure that energy efficiency measures are implemented in the Government's Sustainable Communities Plans.

Elliot Morley: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister lead on delivery of the Government's Sustainable Communities Plans. Defra is working closely with ODPM at all levels to ensure that these plans encourage, among other things, an energy-efficient built environment. Low-carbon technologies, including CHP, changes to planning policy and building regulations, support for exemplary development schemes and research in the growth areas all have a role to play in this. Defra is also actively contributing to the development of the Code for Sustainable Buildings, to be demonstrated in the Thames Gateway and elsewhere.

Energy Efficiency/Targets

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when Government Departments will publish their plans detailing the actions they will take to deliver energy targets.

Elliot Morley: Under the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate, all Departments were required to publish their delivery plans (within six months for civil Departments, eight months for MOD) detailing the actions they will take to deliver energy targets. These energy targets were published in February 2004. Delivery plans should be posted on departmental websites and can be accessed via the framework website at http://www.sustainable~development.gov.uk/sdig/improving/progressa.htm.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU the committees (a) for the adaptation to scientific and technical progress and implementation of the directives on waste met, (b) on the directive on packaging and packaging waste and (c) for the adaptation to technical and scientific progress of the directive on the protection of the environment, and in particular of the soil, when sewage sludge is used in agriculture; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (i) technical and (ii) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations the committee produced during that period; what actions were (A) proposed and (B) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of the committee's recommendations; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: During the Greek Presidency, which took place between January to June 2003, the technical adaptation committee (TAC) on waste met twice in Brussels on 15 January and 7 May. On 15 January, the committee voted to adopt a commission decision establishing component and material coding standards for vehicles pursuant to directive 2000/53/EC on end-of-life vehicles. This subsequently appeared in the Official Journal on 28 February 2003, and was transposed in the UK by the End-of-Life Vehicles Regulations 2003 (S.I.2003/2635).
	No decisions were taken at the TAC meeting on 7 May, but there was preliminary discussion on a common system for demonstrating compliance with the recovery and recycling targets in the ELV directive.
	The packaging and packaging waste committee met once during the Greek Presidency, on 29 January 2003, in Brussels. The committee's role is to exchange information on and progress harmonisation of related issues including data reporting by member states to the commission and marking of packaging.
	The committee in relation to the Recycling to Agricultural Land Sewage Sludge Directive (86/278/EEC) did not meet during the Greek Presidency. Command Paper 6097 "Developments in the European Union, January to June 2003, the Greek Presidency" was laid before Parliament in January 2004 and is available at www.fco.gov.uk/commandpapers, and gives further information on progress during the Greek Presidency.

EU Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals Directive

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she has taken to minimise the number of experiments that will need to be conducted on animals following the introduction of the EU Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals Directive.

Alun Michael: Keeping animal testing to the necessary minimum is a prime objective of the UK Government in negotiating the REACH regulation. Our aim is to protect human health and the environment while keeping bureaucracy to a minimum and keeping animal testing down both by use of alternative methods and by avoiding duplicates. Our proposal for "one substance one registration" commands support because it is designed to meet all these UK negotiating requirements and discussions in Council Working Groups are continuing on that basis.
	We welcome the fact that there is now widespread acceptance of the need to minimise animal testing. Concerns of the UK and others have led to several provisos being included in the legislative proposal to encourage maximum use of existing data, avoid duplication of testing and to require the use of alternative methods wherever possible and appropriate.
	The Commission proposal includes a pre-registration phase which should allow for data sharing. There are also incentives to encourage consortia formation through sharing fees incurred in the registration process. The UK has proposed a mandatory system of "one substance, one registration" to ensure data sharing and decrease the burden on regulators, and this is currently being discussed in Council Working Groups.
	The UK Government have in place a programme for work on improving animal welfare in research and in May 2004 we set up a New Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research with a doubling of the budget for the current year to £660,000. The new centre will develop a UK strategy for the implementation of the 3Rs, fund high quality research that advances the 3Rs, provide advice on the 3Rs and animal welfare to the scientific community and work with regulators on the acceptance of alternative methods for regulatory toxicity testing. The work of the centre will help to reduce the animal experiments required under REACH.

EU Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals Directive

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will estimate how many extra experiments will need to be conducted upon animals in each of the next five years as a result of the UK's implementation of the EU Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals Directive.

Alun Michael: The UK Government's approach to REACH is to achieve the best possible outcome in terms of protecting human health and the environment while keeping both the bureaucratic burdens on industry and the extent of animal testing to the necessary minimum. REACH is currently under negotiation in Council and in the European Parliament and is unlikely to be agreed before 2006. Once agreed REACH will phase in existing substances over 11 years. REACH is still being negotiated and any estimate of how many experiments would be needed over each of the next five years could be misleading.
	The information needed by REACH to provide the basis for protecting human health and the environment may come from a number of sources, of which animal testing is only one. The chemical industry already has some of this information while there are other sources of information such as mathematical modelling and read-across of data from one chemical to another which will reduce the number of new experiments that will be required.
	Another factor that will lead to further reductions in the number of experiments that will be conducted under REACH is the significant amount of testing that has taken place internationally over recent years and is ongoing on high production volume chemicals (those produced or imported in quantities over 1,000 tonnes per year) that will not need to be repeated.
	It is an overall objective for the UK Government, in negotiating the REACH Regulation, to ensure that animal testing is kept to the minimum necessary to protect human health and the environment.
	We hope that our proposal for "one substance, one registration" will have significant impact in minimising animal testing and that meaningful estimates can be provided once the process of negotiation is complete.

Executive Agencies

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many full-time equivalent jobs (a) her Department and (b) its executive agencies had in (i) Yorkshire and the Humber and (ii) the City of York in (A) 1997 and (B) the latest year for which figures are available.

Alun Michael: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend, the Minister of State, Cabinet Office on 25 October 2004, Official Report column 1053W.
	The information placed in the Library of the House did not include the Rural Payments Agency, which had 420 permanent staff in Yorkshire and the Humber on 1 April 2004. None of these staff were located in the City of York. Data is not available for 1997 as RPA was created in November 2001.

Extensification Payment Scheme

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the information requested in the "Extensification Payment Scheme 2004: Status of Subsidiary Holdings" is also available on pages 17 and 18 of Farm's 2003 Integrated Administration and Control System form.

Alun Michael: The information requested by the Rural Payments Agency in a letter entitled "Extensification Payment Scheme 2004: Status of Subsidiary Holdings" is not available in answers given on a producer's Integrated Administration and Control System application or any of the bovine scheme claim forms.

Fair Trade

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make it her policy to ensure that hospitality within her Department is sourced from fair trade producers wherever possible within the boundaries set by the public procurement rules.

Alun Michael: We have introduced fair trade food and drink products into nine of the eleven Defra staff restaurants, including the Department's headquarters and a number of regional offices in Guildford, Reading, York and Crewe. At all of these sites the teas and coffees served as official hospitality are fair trade products.
	The position in Defra generally is explained in a case study published on the Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative web site. URL: http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/sustain/procurement/casestudies/tea-coffee.htm.
	The web site also provides advice on fair trade considerations at http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/sustain/procurement/trade.htm, including a link to the Office of Government Commerce's "Guidance on Fair and Ethical Trading".

Flooding

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the latest position on the proposed flood defence scheme for the Silk Stream, Edgware and Colindale.

Elliot Morley: Main works at Prince Edward's Playing Field in Harrow are expected to be complete by December 2004 and work on the flood storage area in Summerhouse Lake is expected to start in April 2005. Construction to enhance flood storage at Stoney Wood Lake is expected to start in September 2005 subject to the availability of funds in the Environment Agency (EA)'s Capital Programme for 2005–06.
	The EA's proposed Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) needed for the new flood storage areas at Bury Farm and Edgwarebury Park is currently being implemented and a revised planning application for the proposed work will be submitted in December 2004. Subject to funding and the satisfactory resolution of any objections to the CPO, work is scheduled to begin at both sites in 2006.

Flooding

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what reports the Department has received from the Met Office about potential flooding in the UK during the coming winter.

Elliot Morley: The Department receives twice-weekly briefings on the flood risk outlook from the Environment Agency, which are based on forecast information that they receive from the Met Office. The Met Office does not claim to be able to make predictions of rainfall and other major meteorological drivers of flooding for more than about five days ahead.

Glass Container Industry

Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect of recent development of the glass container industry upon the industry's prospects for meeting the 2008 target for glass recycling under the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: No assessment has been made of the UK's ability to meet the Packaging Directive's glass target of 60 per cent. in 2008 following the recent developments within the glass container industry.
	While the UK glass container industry alone is unlikely to have sufficient reprocessing capacity to deliver the glass target in 2008, there is work being carried out with Industry, WRAP and the Agencies to open up viable alternative markets for recycled glass in order to bridge the gap. The Department, in conjunction with the Advisory Committee on Packaging, is continuing to monitor progress on glass recycling closely and fully expects the UK to comply with the target in 2008.

Greenhouse Gases

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what progress the Government have made in meeting targets for emissions of greenhouse gases in the UK;
	(2)  what further plans the Government have for achieving a reduction in the output of greenhouse gases in the UK.

Elliot Morley: The UK remains on course to achieve its Kyoto target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2008–12. Total UK emissions of greenhouse gases in 2003 are provisionally estimated to have fallen by 14 per cent. compared to 1990. Emissions of carbon dioxide for 2003 are provisionally estimated at about 7 per cent. lower than in 1990.
	The UK climate change programme published in 2000 sets out the Government's approach to tackling climate change. It contains a framework of policies and measures intended to achieve the emissions reductions necessary to deliver the UK's commitment under the Kyoto protocol and move towards the 20 per cent. reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.
	The Government recognise that additional measures may be needed to achieve the domestic goal of a 20 per cent. reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. The current review of the UK climate change programme aims to provide a comprehensive assessment of the progress that the Government and the devolved Administrations have made towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions since the programme was published in 2000 to see whether the UK is still on track to meet its domestic goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 2010. If not, the Government will look carefully at whether to introduce new policies and measures, and/or strengthen existing ones. The review will also consider the action that the UK will need to take to ensure it is on course to make "real progress by 2020" towards the ambitious longer-term goal of reducing carbon emissions by 60 per cent. by 2050, as set out in the Energy White Paper.

Greenhouse Gases

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures she intends to take to reduce the loss of greenhouse gases from refrigerators during their lifetime; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: Most major UK manufacturers of domestic refrigeration now use hydrocarbon refrigerants. The refrigerant charge in domestic refrigerators is also hermetically sealed and therefore designed not to leak.
	The EC proposal for a Regulation on certain fluorinated greenhouse gases includes a range of measures for the containment and recovery of these gases from commercial refrigeration. Political agreement was reached in October 2004.

Hunting

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans the Government have to offer a payment to those affected by a ban on hunting; and whether this would apply if the individual were to emigrate.

Alun Michael: The Government have no plans to pay compensation to anyone affected by a ban on hunting.

Landfill

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what controls regulate the disposal of waste in landfill sites.

Elliot Morley: The disposal of waste to landfill is controlled by the Landfill (England and Wales) Regulations 2002 as amended by the Landfill (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2004. This legislation is regulated by the Environment Agency.

Landfill

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of waste in England was (a) sent to landfill sites for disposal and (b) recycled in 2003–04.

Elliot Morley: The Municipal Waste Management Survey of English local authorities, conducted annually by Defra, shows that 75 per cent. of municipal waste was sent to landfill in 2002–03 and 16 per cent. was recycled. Audited data for 2003–04 are not yet available.
	Figures for the amount of commercial and industrial and construction and demolition waste are not collected annually. However, the Environment Agency's National Waste Production Survey of a sample of 20,000 businesses, conducted in 1998–99, estimated that 50 per cent. of commercial and industrial waste was sent to landfill and 30 per cent. was recycled, while 35 per cent. of construction and demolition waste was recycled and 24 per cent. sent to landfill. A further estimated 41 per cent. of construction and demolition waste was used on landfill sites as day cover.

Leisure Boats

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment the Government have made of the environmental impact of privately-owned leisure boats; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: Privately-owned leisure boats are subject to a range of general environmental legislation, specific statutory controls and good practice guidance designed to mitigate any harmful effects on the environment. These measures are developed through regular contact with relevant associations such as the Royal Yachting Association and the British Marine Federation.
	Formal consultation is carried out with stakeholders to gauge environmental impacts and to ensure measures adopted take into consideration the studies carried out by agencies, navigation authorities, environmental groups and private bodies into specific aspects of leisure boat use.
	In addition, work is carried out within Government Departments and through external consultants to gauge the impact of the leisure sector on the environment, for example the generation of marine litter washed up on the UK shoreline.

Litter

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the cost of dealing with litter (a) dropped and (b) wrongly disposed of during each of the last five years.

Alun Michael: It is not possible to separate costs for litter cleansing. These costs are included within the overall street cleansing figures. ODPM has provided the total expenditure figures on street cleaning not chargeable to highways, as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1998–99 386 
			 1999–2000 413 
			 2000–01 448 
			 2001–02 469 
		
	
	It is estimated that 2002–03 will be £492.45million.

Litter

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if her Department will increase penalties for people who drop litter on the streets.

Alun Michael: Yes. We have already made that intention clear and consulted on our proposals.

Litter

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the Government's strategy is over the next five years for dealing with litter on the streets.

Alun Michael: The recent Clean Neighbourhoods consultation set out a number of practical proposals for dealing with litter and improving the local environment everywhere in the country. We hope to take forward several of the measures contained therein through the earliest suitable legislative opportunity.
	Recent pilots have resulted in a significant reduction in fast food litter and as a result we are currently finalising the Voluntary Code of Practice for "Food on the Go".
	We have recently published the segmentation research into chewing gum droppers, at www.defra.gov.uk/environment/localenv/litter/index.htm. The research will inform a national campaign to target gum users to change the behaviour of gum droppers. The campaign will be launched in the summer.
	All this work is underpinned by the annual Local Environmental Quality Survey of England, developed on the Government's behalf by ENCAMS. The survey provides the most precise picture we have ever had of the state of the local environment throughout the country. The survey also enables us to accurately assess how successful the above measures are working on the ground.

Ministerial Expenses

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the running costs of Ministers' private offices in her Department have been in each year since 1997.

Alun Michael: The running costs of Ministers' private offices since Defra was formed in June 2001 are:
	
		
			 Financial year Amount (£) 
		
		
			 2001–02 (part year) 943,101 
			 2002–03 1,194,162 
			 2003–04 1,064,083 
		
	
	These figures incorporate the staff and administration costs incurred, by financial year.

New Forest

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether back-up grazing land belonging to commoners of the New Forest is defined as land used for horses for the purposes of the single farm payment scheme; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: Any land held by commoners outside the area of the common, whether grazing horses or not, is potentially eligible for the single payment, subject to the conditions that generally apply.

Refrigerators

Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of new sales of domestic refrigerators did not rely on hydrofluorocarbon technology in the last year for which figures are available; and what plans she has to phase out the use of this technology in domestic refrigeration.

Elliot Morley: Hydrofluorocarbon technology in domestic refrigerators has already largely been phased out in the EU.
	All major UK manufacturers of domestic refrigerators now use hydrocarbon based refrigerants. A small amount of imported domestic refrigeration equipment uses hydrofluorocarbons.

Refrigerators

Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what the purpose is of the study on commercial refrigeration commissioned by her Department;
	(2)  whether her Department's study on commercial refrigeration is related to her objective of ensuring that the UK reduces its emissions of global warming gases.

Elliot Morley: This study is part of a larger piece of work intended to update data relevant to projections of emissions of fluorinated greenhouse gases. The study will review the relevant section of an earlier Defra commissioned report by AEA Technology.
	The work will review the calculation methodology used in the emissions model, the activity and emission factors used, and the baseline assumptions concerning future market trends and developments (e.g. uptake of alternative fluids). The assumptions required for the emissions model will be clearly defined, and an estimate of uncertainties provided where possible. Industry and other stakeholders will be contacted during this task, and their views reported.

Regulation (Compliance Cost)

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the aggregate cost of compliance with her Department's regulations was in the last year for which figures are available.

Alun Michael: All proposals which impact on business, charities or the voluntary sector require a Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) which includes details of the costs, benefits and risks of the proposal. RIAs are subject to public consultation and copies of final RIAs are available from the House Libraries and on departmental websites.

Rural Development

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will break down by programme the budget set by her Department for public expenditure on land management and rural development, including the Entry Level Scheme, other England rural development programme schemes and other schemes for financial years (a) 2004–05 and (b) 2005–06.

Alun Michael: The budget profile and breakdown for the England Rural Development Programme (ERDP) in 2004–05 are shown in the following table. This is the full resource-based budget and relates specifically to the anticipated value of payments to be made to beneficiaries.
	The agri-environment schemes are the Countryside Stewardship Scheme (CSS), the Environmentally Sensitive Areas scheme (ESA) and the Organic Farming Scheme (OFS). The Entry Level Stewardship budget of £2.0 million shown below relates to the ongoing pilot agreements only.
	Defra has not yet concluded its formal business planning process for the 2005–06 financial year. Figures will be provided as soon as that process is complete. Subject to European Commission approval, a new agri-environment scheme called Environmental Stewardship (ES) will be launched in England in 2005 to replace the three existing schemes (CSS, ESA, OFS). Environmental Stewardship will consist of three separate elements: Entry Level Stewardship (ELS), Organic Entry Level Stewardship (OELS) and Higher Level Stewardship (HLS).
	Agri-environment schemes are budgeted a year in arrears, which means that the expenditure reflects agreements signed in the previous year. Current planning assumptions about the expected rate of uptake to the Entry Level element of Environmental Stewardship suggest that by 2006–07 expenditure will be in the region of £132 million and will rise further thereafter.
	In addition to the England Rural Development Programme budgets shown, Rural Development funding of £21.2 million in 2004–05 and £19.3 million in 2005–06 is also available under the Objective 1 Programme. This funding stream is directed to beneficiaries in the three, geographically defined Objective 1 areas in England: Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Merseyside and South Yorkshire.
	
		
			 ERDP 2004–05 Total (£ million) 
		
		
			 Agri-environment schemes (ESA, CSS, OFS) 155.8 
			 Entry Level Stewardship Pilot 2.0 
			 Hill Farm Allowance 27.2 
			 Rural Enterprise Scheme 30.0 
			 Vocational Training Scheme 4.0 
			 Processing and Marketing Grant 8.0 
			 Energy Crops Scheme 1.4 
			 Farm Woodland Premium Scheme 11.8 
			 Woodland Grant Scheme 22.0 
			 Total ERDP 262.2

Set-aside

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been paid out under set aside in each county in England in 2003–04; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: The amounts paid out under set aside in each county in England for Arable Area Aid claims submitted in 2003 are set out in the following table. The figures for Arable Area Aid claims submitted in 2004 are not yet available as the payment window has not yet closed.
	
		£
		
			 County Set-aside Non food Total 
		
		
			 Cumbria 730,169.80 63,845.87 794,015.67 
			 Lancashire 887,983.57 27,450.82 915,434.39 
			 Tyne and Wear 381,448.14 58,993.84 440,441.98 
			 Northumberland 3,371,591.74 558,749.92 3,930,341.66 
			 Bedfordshire 2,336,203.00 392,492.76 2,728,695.76 
			 Cambridgeshire 6,527,823.77 1,243,450.80 7,771,274.57 
			 Essex 5,577,359.24 1,626,756.10 7,204,115.34 
			 Hertfordshire 2,333,831.36 568,430.69 2,902,262.05 
			 Norfolk 8,969,722.22 630,205.78 9,599,928.00 
			 Suffolk 6,869,461.72 1,121,912.61 7,991,374.33 
			 Cheshire 1,085,066.75 58,221.24 1,143,287.99 
			 Merseyside 424,793.37 39,596.69 464,390.06 
			 Shropshire 3,033,511.30 346,657.85 3,380,169.15 
			 Staffordshire 1,783,741.77 227,652.39 2,011,394.16 
			 Greater Manchester 279,184.85 6,718.74 285,903.59 
			 Cleveland 572,857.63 137,485.08 710,342.71 
			 Durham 1,767,852.86 219,414.10 1,987,266.96 
			 South Yorkshire 1,532,015.77 291,676.16 1,823,691.93 
			 North Yorkshire (a) 5,838,019.20 995,992.79 6,834,011.99 
			 North Yorkshire (b) 1,207,173.68 286,774.73 1,493,948.41 
			 West Yorkshire 701,920.36 202,654.13 904,574.49 
			 Humberside 5,073,076.57 2,002,497.78 7,075,574.35 
			 Dorset 2,282,786.18 387,725.96 2,670,512.14 
			 Avon 890,999.38 45,256.31 936,255.69 
			 Somerset 2,107,174.17 193,877.42 2,301,051.59 
			 Wiltshire 5,361,556.53 661,297.17 6,022,853.70 
			 Gloucestershire 3,410,306.49 327,907.47 3,738,213.96 
			 Hereford and Worcester3,789,181.89 409,796.38 4,198,978.27 
			 Warwickshire 3,392,255.18 338,511.51 3,730,766.69 
			 West Midlands 287,814.52 9,857.50 297,672.02 
			 Derbyshire 1,098,000.08 227,114.18 1,325,114.26 
			 Leicestershire 4,098,296.77 527,959.64 4,626,256.41 
			 Lincolnshire 12,216,159.03 1,866,352.86 14,082,511.89 
			 Northamptonshire 4,337,738.80 650,522.00 4,988,260.80 
			 Nottinghamshire 3,410,748.69 761,019.40 4,171,768.09 
			 Cornwall 1,906,635.42 55,681.06 1,962,316.48 
			 Devon 2,930,665.50 136,289.50 3,066,955.00 
			 Berkshire 1,808,852.45 168,473.63 1,977,326.08 
			 Buckinghamshire 2,395,375.84 262,178.48 2,657,554.32 
			 Hampshire 4,400,958.59 825,754.28 5,226,712.87 
			 Isle of Wight 529,988.84 8,267.37 538,256.21 
			 Kent 3,782,009.18 1,005,116.76 4,787,125.94 
			 Greater London (a) 120,875.16 16,615.36 137,490.52 
			 Greater London (b) 133,045.85 18,479.20 151,525.05 
			 Oxfordshire 5,696,425.10 369,510.94 6,065,936.04 
			 Surrey 957,912.86 10,490.25 968,403.11 
			 East Sussex 1,686,748.36 39,966.16 1,726,714.52 
			 West Sussex 2,329,687.63 114,663.70 2,444,351.33 
			 Total 136,647,007.16 20,546,315.36 157,193,322.52 
		
	
	Note:
	All values are before Modulation

Sheep Payments

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was paid out under (a) the Sheep Annual Premium and (b) the Sheep National Envelope in each county in England in 2003–04; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: The amounts paid out under (a) the Sheep Annual Premium and (b) the Sheep National Envelope in each county in England submitted in 2003 are set out in the following table. Payments were made during the payment window of 16 October 2003 to 31 March 2004. Over 97 per cent. of applicants received their Premium and Sheep National Envelope payments within the first two weeks of the opening of the payment window. The figures for claims submitted in 2004 are not yet available, as the payment window has not yet closed. However over 98 per cent. of qualifying applicants received their premium during the first few days of the payment window opening.
	
		£
		
			 County name 2003 premium payments 2003 SNE payments 
		
		
			 Bedfordshire 244491.00 3988.89 
			 Berkshire 327640.11 5345.48 
			 Buckinghamshire 1077098.09 17572.96 
			 Cleveland 220235.62 3593.16 
			 Cambridgeshire 326388.36 5325.06 
			 Cheshire 1069131.53 17442.97 
			 Cornwall 3183824.27 51945.37 
			 Cumbria 13832914.03 225685.47 
			 Derbyshire 2543377.02 41495.45 
			 Devon 9594551.82 156569.55 
			 Dorset 1227869.11 20032.81 
			 Durham 3366262.07 54920.92 
			 Essex 324461.20 5293.62 
			 Gloucestershire 1953961.60 31879.08 
			 Hampshire 707545.96 11543.69 
			 Isle of Wight 179547.01 2929.33 
			 Hereford and Worcester 5632496.70 91894.75 
			 Hertfordshire 160775.98 2623.07 
			 Kent 2335685.40 38106.94 
			 Lancashire 4056209.13 66177.46 
			 Leicestershire 1844621.58 30095.19 
			 Lincolnshire 957432.07 15620.60 
			 Merseyside 28802.75 469.92 
			 Greater London 6014.06 98.12 
			 Greater London 3357.63 54.78 
			 Norfolk 648052.10 10573.02 
			 Northamptonshire 1769303.46 28866.39 
			 Tyne and Wear 64509.54 1052.48 
			 Northumberland 8288442.42 135226.80 
			 Nottinghamshire 447134.06 7295.03 
			 Oxfordshire 999387.54 16305.13 
			 Avon 446286.76 7281.21 
			 Shropshire 4876551.87 79561.45 
			 Somerset 3074285.31 50164.64 
			 Staffordshire 1418024.61 23135.21 
			 Suffolk 445803.31 7273.32 
			 Scilly Isles 0 0 
			 Surrey 286833.90 4679.72 
			 East Sussex 1556025.79 25386.70 
			 West Sussex 511447.48 8344.31 
			 Warwickshire 1726662.97 28170.68 
			 Greater Manchester 395244.99 6448.47 
			 Wiltshire 1042745.72 17012.52 
			 West Midlands 111949.69 1826.47 
			 South Yorkshire 445145.54 7262.60 
			 North Yorkshire 10689173.06 174394.95 
			 West Yorkshire 1187397.94 19372.50 
			 North Yorkshire 156715.45 2556.83 
			 Humberside 605564.35 9879.85 
			 Total 96,397,381.96 1,572,774.92

Single Farm Payment

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how payments under the single farm payment between 1 December 2005 and 30 June 2006 will be made; and when they will be made.

Alun Michael: The European Regulations require payments for 2005 to be made between 1 December 2005 and 30 June 2006 and our objective is to make payments as promptly as possible within that period. Payments will be made by bank transfer in line with the way IACS payments are made at present.

Temporary Staff

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many agency temporary staff have been working for the Department or its predecessors in each of the last five years, excluding those working for agencies for which no data is kept centrally.

Alun Michael: The information requested is not held centrally. I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on 22 April 2004, Official Report, columns 583–85 and column 588; and on 23 June 2004, Official Report, column 1427. Defra came into being in June 2001.

Waste Disposal/Management

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of London's waste was disposed of in Essex in the last year for which figures are available; and at which sites.

Elliot Morley: This information is not held centrally by Defra.
	Information on the destination of waste for disposal is being gathered for the first time by Defra through WasteDataFlow, an online comprehensive waste data reporting system for local authorities introduced in April 2004, and will not be available until mid 2005.
	The Greater London Authority and the Environment Agency may be able to provide an answer based on data held by them.

Waste Disposal/Management

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much waste in Somerset by (a) tonnage and (b) percentage was disposed of by (i) landfill, (ii) recycling and (iii) incineration since 1997–98.

Elliot Morley: Results from the Defra Municipal Waste Management Survey show the following municipal waste disposal routes for Somerset Waste Disposal Authority and North Somerset Unitary Authority. Both authorities reported no incineration over the period. Full results for Somerset are not available for 1997–98.
	
		Somerset county
		
			  Landfill Recycled and composted Total disposed 
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 
		
		
			 1998–99 311,093 88 43,190 12 354,283 100 
			 1999–2000 324,379 87 50,393 13 374,772 100 
			 2000–01 330,694 85 58,573 15 389,267 100 
			 2001–02 355,153 85 62,288 15 417,441 100 
			 2002–03 375,415 83 76,995 17 452,410 100 
		
	
	Results from the 2003–04 Defra Municipal Waste Management Survey will be available in early 2005.

Waste Disposal/Management

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how the Department plans to develop the strategy for managing waste over the next 10 years.

Elliot Morley: The Government's strategy on waste is set out in "Waste Strategy 2000", published in May 2000. The Government outlined further plans in May 2003 in response to the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit Report "Waste Not, Want Not". The Government is committed to reviewing its strategy on waste in 2005. A small team has been established in the Department to take forward the review.

Water Framework Directive

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on progress in implementing the water framework directive.

Elliot Morley: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 13 September 2004, Official Report, column 1582W.

TRANSPORT

Aviation White Paper

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a report on the action he has taken since the publication of the White Paper on Aviation to achieve the goals set out therein.

Charlotte Atkins: Following the publication of "The Future of Air Transport" White Paper in December 2003, we have been working to implement its policies and proposals and have already completed a number of specific actions. These include:
	Removing the parliamentary passenger air transport movement limit (PATM) at Stansted airport so that it is regulated by the local planning authority, in line with other UK airports;
	Issuing a consultation on night flying restrictions at Heathrow, Gatwick, and Stansted airports;
	Publishing guidance to airport operators on the preparation of airport master plans; Publishing a consultation on the protection of regional air services to London.
	Airport Operators are also undertaking work to deliver the White Paper proposals. We expect them to publish outline master plan statements by the end of this year and full master plans by the end of next year. The first new runway in the South East should be at Stansted and BAA, the airport operator, is taking work on this forward.
	We will report on progress made by the end of 2006.

British Transport Police

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions his Department has had with the British Transport Police on combating vandalism and anti-social behaviour at railway stations covering the Greater London area.

Tony McNulty: Ministers and officials of the Department met the Chairman of the British Transport Police (BTP) Authority, Sir Alistair Graham, on 26 October for a wide ranging discussion on the work of the BTP. I also have regular meetings with the BTP Chief Constable, most recently on 10 November. I discussed with him the steps being taken by the Force to combat vandalism and anti-social behaviour at railway stations in the context of the Force's Annual Policing Plan.

Crossrail

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on funding of the Crossrail project.

Tony McNulty: I refer the hon. Member to the written statement on Crossrail that the Secretary of State for Transport made on 20 July 2004.

Drivers (Regulations)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the impact of the regulation of drivers of commercial and public vehicles on the jobs available in those areas.

David Jamieson: The two key pieces of regulation affecting drivers of commercial and public service vehicles are the EU driver's hours rules (3820/85/EEC) and the new EU directive (2002/15/EC) regulating the working time of drivers. The drivers' hours rules were introduced in 1988 and the working time rules need to be implemented by 23 March 2005.
	Last year we published a partial regulatory impact assessment on the impact of the new working time legislation. The assessment concluded that an extra 12,300 drivers (just over 2.5 per cent. of the current workforce) would be required.

Great Yarmouth (Outer Harbour)

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to announce his decision on the outer harbour at Great Yarmouth.

David Jamieson: The Government expect to be making a decision very shortly on whether public funding of the East Port project would be appropriate. The Secretary of State for Transport would then determine the outstanding application for an HRO in the light of that.

Railway Stations (Wheelchair Access)

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment the Department has made of the recent judgment in the High Court in the case of Mr. Keith Rhodes, concerning wheelchair access at rail stations.

Tony McNulty: We have been following the progress of this case with interest and will be considering the implications of the recent judgment.

Ship Inspections

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 11 October 2004, Official Report, column 6W, on ship inspections, whether the Marine Coastguard Agency is targeting ships for inspection in accordance with the criteria set by the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control; and whether ships are being targeted on security grounds.

David Jamieson: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is selecting ships for inspection in accordance with the criteria set by the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control. The criteria does not include a security factor. Procedures are, however, in place to deploy duly authorised officers where security-related concerns have been identified.

Transport for London

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much funding his Department has given to Transport for London in each of the last three years.

Tony McNulty: The Department has provided Transport for London with the following funding though the GLA Transport Grant over the last three years:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 2004–05 2,224.536 
			 2003–04 1,681.932 
			 2002–03 1,024.118 
		
	
	The increase in funding between 2002–03 and 2004–05 largely reflects the transfer of London Underground to TfL in July 2003.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

"Fit for the Future"

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made with the "Fit For the Future" programme.

Patricia Hewitt: The "Fit for the Future" programme was, with a number of other best practice programmes, integrated into the new "Achieving best practice in your business" theme released in April. Replacing an array of schemes has allowed my Department to rationalise and simplify its support for the promotion and implementation of best practice, including offering direct grant support to SMEs.
	The material in the theme helps provide ideas and insights into how businesses can improve performance in a range of areas, such as leadership, skills and E-Business. The material can be viewed at www.dti.gov.uk/bestpractice. There is also a range of free printed brochures that can be ordered from the DTI Publication Orderline on 0870 150 2500. Over 70,000 brochures have been ordered since launch in April. Both the website and brochures contain reports, guides and case studies, as well as a range of self-assessment tools. These have won an award of excellence at this year's "Communications in Business Awards".

Agency Temporary Staff

John Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many agency temporary staff have been working for the Department in each of the last five years, excluding those working for agencies for which no data is kept centrally.

Patricia Hewitt: DTI currently has 135 full-time equivalent agency temporary staff. Prior to April 2004 agency temporary staff were aggregated with core service contractors and programme consultants for tracking purposes and so it is not possible to provide estimates of historic agency temporary staff numbers. However, a departmental snapshot in spring 2003 estimated the total number of full-time equivalent agency temporary staff to be approximately 350. Both quoted numbers are based on core DTI HQ and Small Business Service staff and exclude UK Trade and Investment.

Business Support

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry through which business support products her Department provides subsidised consultancy.

Nigel Griffiths: DTI's nine business support products take a variety of forms including grants, loan guarantees and subsidised consultancy.
	Two of the nine business support products use subsidised consultancy as their means of delivering assistance to business. These are Grant for Investigating an Innovative Idea and Support to Implement Best Business Practice.

Departmental Offices

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the cost of (a) decoration and (b) refurbishment of the London offices of the Department was in each of the last four years.

Patricia Hewitt: My Department undertakes a wide variety of projects as part of on-going maintenance and improvements in its current stock. The cost of projects involving significant works to the building services and fabric for the last four complete financial years are as shown in the table. These figures relate only to the DTI headquarters London estate.
	
		£000
		
			 Financial year (a) Decoration (b) Refurbishment 
		
		
			 2000–01 233 1,402 
			 2001–02 Nil 4,321 
			 2002–03 432 1,230 
			 2003–04 79 2,058

Departmental Press Officers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many press officers the Department has employed in each year since 2003.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 1 November 2004
	The number of press officers employed in DTI in each year since 2003 is as follows:
	
		
			 As at 1 January Number 
		
		
			 2003 23 
			 2004 19

Departmental Staff

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the staff in her Department in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003 were people with disabilities.

Patricia Hewitt: The Department collects disability data on a voluntary basis. The information tabulated as follows is extracted from our personnel records database and gives the position in DTI Headquarters as at 31 December 2003 respectively:
	
		DTIHQ—Staff who have declared a disability as a percentage of total number of staff
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 (a) 2002 7.4 
			 (b) 2003 2.1

Electricity

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many new electricity pylons are planned to be constructed in (a) the Vale of York and (b) North Yorkshire in (i) 2004, (ii) 2005 and (iii) 2006.

Mike O'Brien: The Government do not have this data as they do not centrally plan the electricity network. It is a matter for the network operators to bring forward proposals as the need arises and these will be subject to appropriate scrutiny under section 37 of the Electricity Act 1989.

Electricity

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the potential to construct new electricity cables in the Vale of York underground.

Mike O'Brien: Under grounding new power lines is very much more expensive than putting them overhead, particularly at higher voltages and this may be reflected in electricity prices to the consumer. Technological developments are unlikely to change that equation in the immediate future. The network companies concerned will consider representations to underground all or part of proposed overhead line developments in working up the details of their proposals, and it is possible that underground cables may be appropriate in certain circumstances. But expectations must be realistic.

Employment Tribunals

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the reasons are for the removal of the Register of Employment Tribunal Applications from the public domain via the Employment Tribunals (Constitution and Rules of Procedure) Regulations 2004; and what representations she has received from (a) trade unions and (b) legal professionals on the subject.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Government carried out a full and open consultation on the future of the public register, as part of a wider public consultation, between December 2003 and March 2004, on reform of the employment tribunal regulations and rules of procedure. The Government response summarising the outcome of that exercise was published in July 2004. It noted that the balance of views among key stakeholders was that the register's advantages—in terms of freedom of information and access to sources of advice and support that the parties might not otherwise know to approach—were outweighed by its significant disadvantages. The disadvantages cited included compromising the privacy of the parties, and leaving them open to receiving numerous unwelcome, and in some cases misleading approaches from "ambulance chasers". Evidence of such approaches was provided by some consultees.
	Many consultees, including the TUC, individual unions and a number of employment law firms, favoured complete abolition of the register. There were concerns that the register was used for blacklisting purposes. There was, however, support expressed by some for the retention of the aspect of the register recording judgments. This was considered to be useful for monitoring purposes, and to ensure that there continued to be a public record of judgments reached in the tribunals.
	The Government decided, in the light of the consultation responses, and having given further careful consideration to the matter, that pre-judgment details of claimants and respondents should no longer be entered on the public register, but that judgments should continue to be recorded. This decision was implemented in the new regulations, which came into effect on 1 October 2004.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU the Standing Committee on the harmonisation of national legislation on cableway installations designed to carry passengers met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (a) technical and (b) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations the Committee produced during that period; what actions were (i) proposed and (ii) taken by the (A) EU and (B) UK Government as a result of the Committee's recommendations; and if she will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: I have been asked to reply.
	No meetings of the Standing Committee on the harmonisation of national legislation on cableway installations designed to carry passengers took place during the Greek presidency.
	The European Community directive 2000/9/EC, which introduced common standards for the construction and putting into service of cableway systems designed to carry persons has been implemented in the UK by the Cableway Installations Regulations 2004, which came into force on 3 May 2004.
	Details of developments during the Greek presidency can be found in Cm6097 "Developments in the European Union, January to June 2003, the Greek Presidency" which was laid before Parliament in January 2004 and is available at www.fco.gov.uk/commandpapers.

Fair Trade Sourcing

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make it her policy to ensure that all hospitality within her Department is sourced from fair trade producers wherever possible within the boundaries set by the public procurement rules.

Patricia Hewitt: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answers given to him and the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) on the policy adopted for the use of fair-trade products in hospitality on 15 December 2003, Official Report, column 641W, 1 November 2004, Official Report, column 88W and 4 November 2004, Official Report, columns 362–63W.
	It is departmental policy to include the promotion of and use of fair trade products within our contracted hospitality, including tea, coffee, drinking chocolate, orange juice, cereal snack bars and sugar.

Gas

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what assessment her Department has made of the impact of the recent rise in the cost of wholesale gas on the competitiveness of British companies; and what steps she plans to take to minimise this impact;
	(2)  what assessment her Department has made of the price differential between the gas markets in the UK and continental Europe; and if she will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: Historically, industrial gas prices in Great Britain have been at or among the lowest in the EU. Although it is too early for official comparative data to be available, gas industry sources and intelligence indicate that wholesale gas prices have also increased (under the influence of higher oil prices) in continental Europe. A recent report by Oxford Economic Research Associates shows that the UK had the most competitive energy markets in the EU and G7 in 2002, and provisionally also for 2003. (The report is on the DTI website at www.dti.gov.uk/energy/gas_and_electricity/competitiveness_structure/index.shtm.l.

Gas

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her policy is on a European Commission investigation into the impact of a liberalised gas market.

Mike O'Brien: My Department has been encouraging the European Commission to use its existing competition powers to the full extent to ensure timely progress towards a liberalised and competitive EU energy (gas and electricity) market.

Glass Container Industry

Eric Illsley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received regarding cost increases to the glass container industry as a consequence of new emissions limits.

Jacqui Smith: Over the past year my Department has received a number of representations from the glass container industry about cost increases and other issues arising from new emissions limits, particularly in relation to CO 2 . This has included contact with Ministers at plant visits, in ministerial correspondence and at meetings at official level.

Glass Container Industry

Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what advice and assistance her Department has given to the glass container industry on (a) closure of plants in recent years and (b) challenges facing the industry; and if she will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: In August 2002 the Department commissioned the British Glass Manufacturers Confederation to examine the requirements for a full scale competitiveness study of glass manufacturing and manufacturing sectors.
	A precursory study of competitiveness in the UK glass manufacturing sector was completed in February 2003.
	Officials continue to meet with the British Glass Manufacturers Confederation to discuss a number of issues that have an impact on the sector.
	The Department and the Regional Development Agency remain committed to providing support and advice if plant closures occur.

IT Skills

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures she plans to take to ensure that the people who need to upgrade their IT skills, referred to in the e-Skills UK research published on 1 November, receive the training they require.

Patricia Hewitt: Following the recommendations of the industry report "Skills for the Information Age", over the three years 2000–03, DTI invested £7 million in action programmes to increase the supply of advanced skills for the IT, electronics and communications sector. This programme promoted a positive image of ITEC in schools, helped students to develop the necessary skills required by ITEC employers and supported Work-Life Balance and diversity initiatives for the ITEC sector.
	To follow up this programme, further ITEC skills initiatives have been taken forward directly by the recently appointed Sector Skills Councils for the ITEC sector, working in partnership with the industry, the Sector Skills Development Agency, DTI and DfES. A high priority for DTI is to make the UK the most competitive global location for IT skills. We are working closely with e-Skills UK, companies in the sector and across Government to match the current and future IT skills supply with business demand. DTI and DfES are also working with industry to improve diversity in employment in the IT sector, particularly the severe under-representation of women in the IT sector.

Miners' Compensation

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether her Department is using Capita as a contractor in relation to the miners' compensation schemes.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 28 October 2004
	Yes. A Press release to this effect was issued on 16 February 2004.

Non-financial Reports

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if her Department will require public-listed companies to publish annual non-financial reports.

Jacqui Smith: My right hon. Friend will be making an announcement shortly about the implementation of a new non-financial report—the proposed Operating and Financial Review.

Offshore Wind Farms

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the environmental impact of the construction of offshore wind farms.

Mike O'Brien: In respect of offshore wind farms both developers and Government are undertaking a significant amount of environmental impact work. In preparing their consent applications developers must undertake a comprehensive environmental impact assessments to consider a range of impacts for example on coastal processes, benthic ecology, fishing, navigation, birds and seascape. Where appropriate Government has made monitoring of impacts during the construction and post construction phases of wind farms a condition of Round 1 licences. In addition, this summer under the auspices of a newly created Research Advisory Group my Department launched a two year £2.5 million programme of research to support offshore impact studies with further support coming from other Departments. The research group has already identified the highest priority studies and work programmes are under way for birds, navigation and fishing.

Parliamentary Questions

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she expects to make a substantive reply to the question tabled by the hon. Member for Barnsley, East and Mexborough for Named Day answer on 28 October, reference 194163.

Nigel Griffiths: I have answered today.

Post Offices

John Butterfill: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the likely impact on (a) the general public and (b) businesses of the proposal by the Post Office to close a number of Crown post offices; and if she will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Decisions on individual closures and conversions of directly managed (Crown) post offices are operational and commercial matters for Post Office Ltd. Post Office Ltd.'s current policy, which has the Government's support, is to maintain a core network of directly managed post offices while continuing to drive efficiencies, with the aim of making the business commercial viable.
	Post Office Ltd. has clarified in a letter of 3 November to all Members of Parliament that the company is working with the trade unions to develop proposals that will help address the significant losses generated by the network of directly managed post offices. Though plans are yet to be finalised, fewer than five directly managed branches are expected to be closed in 2005–06 and the company will continue to seek to transfer operation of directly managed post offices to franchise partners where suitable opportunities arise while ensuring that products and services for customers remain unchanged.

Post Offices

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the Crown post offices in Northern Ireland which have been earmarked for closure; and if she will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 10 November 2004
	The Government have no such list. Decisions on individual post office closures and conversions are operational and commercial matters for Post Office Ltd.
	Post Office Ltd has clarified in a letter of 3 November to all Members of Parliament that the company is working with the trade unions to develop proposals that will help address the significant losses generated by the network of directly managed (Crown) post offices. Though plans are yet to be finalised, fewer than five directly managed branches are expected to be closed in 2005–06 throughout the UK. The company will continue to seek to transfer operation of directly managed post offices to franchise partners where suitable opportunities arise, whilst ensuring that products and services for customers remain unchanged.

Post Offices

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with Post Office Ltd concerning its review of directly managed post offices.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 9 November 2004
	Ministers and officials are in regular contact with Post Office Ltd on a variety of post office issues. The Government do not, however, intervene in the day to day running of the business. The management of directly managed offices is, like the rest of the post office network, a commercial and operational matter for the company. Post Office Ltd has the Government's support for their strategy, which is to maintain a core network of directly managed post offices while continuing to drive efficiencies with the aim of making the business commercially viable.
	Post Office Ltd has clarified in a letter of 3 November to all Members of Parliament that the company is working with the trade unions to develop proposals that will help address the significant losses generated by the network of directly managed post offices. Though plans are yet to be finalised, fewer than five directly managed branches are expected to be closed in 2005–06 and the company will continue to seek to transfer operation of directly managed post offices to franchise partners where suitable opportunities arise while ensuring that products and services for customers remain unchanged.

Private Finance Initiative

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the private finance initiative arrangements in which the Department is engaged; what the total cost of each arrangement is (a) over its lifetime and (b) in each year of its operation; and how the arrangement appears in the Department's public accounts.

Patricia Hewitt: The Department has three PFI contracts. They are (a) the provision of centralised IT within the Department (ELGAR) running until 2013–14; (b) the rebuilding of the National Physical Laboratory at Teddington running until 2023–24; and, (c) Constructionline which provides information on approved contractors within the construction industry. The figures for the National Physical Laboratory are given as follows. Figures for 2004–05 onwards are estimated. The Constructionline PFI arrangement has no cost implications for the Department. The information for the provision of centralised IT within the Department is Commercial in Confidence and is therefore subject to exemption 13 Third Party Commercial Confidences—of the code of practice on access to Government Information.
	The arrangements for reporting these contracts are set out in the Department's resource accounts for 2002–03 (in notes 1.20, 11 and 26). The accounts are available from the House of Commons Library.

Royal Mail Holdings

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what reports she has (a) requested and (b) received from the Shareholder Executive regarding the privatisation of Royal Mail Holdings plc.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I have not requested or received any reports from the Shareholder Executive.
	Privatisation of the Royal Mail is not on the Government's agenda. There are no plans to dispose of the Government's shareholding in the Royal Mail.

Trans-European Energy Network

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the role that the EU-sponsored trans-European energy network might play in providing energy security for the UK.

Mike O'Brien: The trans-European energy network programme (TENs) provides assistance for feasibility studies and pre-construction development for infrastructure projects, particularly interconnectors, between member states and between the EU and its neighbours. Gas and electricity interconnectors make an important contribution to security of supply. The annual budget for TENs is small (currently €20 million) compared to the investment necessary to bring projects to fruition. TENs support can, however, be a catalyst for investment by supporting the initial stages of projects. Information from the Commission shows that in the period 1996–2001 a total of 140 actions in 53 projects received assistance totalling €123 million, with 56 per cent. going to natural gas projects and the remainder to electricity projects. UK projects have received a proportionate level of support from the TENs energy programme.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Casinos

David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the location of each gaming casino in Scotland is.

Richard Caborn: The Gaming Board for Great Britain report that casinos are licensed in the following locations in Scotland.
	
		
			  Casinos 
		
		
			 Aberdeen 2 
			 Dundee 1 
			 Edinburgh 4 
			 Glasgow 5

Departmental Documents/Staff

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the Department's target is for the interval between publication of (a) departmental announcements and documents and (b) material published by public bodies for which her Department has oversight and their posting online; and what the average interval was in the latest year for which figures are available.

Richard Caborn: pursuant to the reply, 1 November 2004, Official Report, c. 42W
	I regret that my earlier answer did not take into account the amended wording of the question.
	The Department aims to make all announcements and documents available online at the same time as they are otherwise released. The Department does not keep a record of timings from which an average interval could be calculated. We would expect our sponsored bodies to adhere to the same target but information on the average interval for publishing online by DCMS bodies could be discovered only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Documents/Staff

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what percentage of the staff of the Department in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003 were people with disabilities.

Richard Caborn: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 9 November 2004, Official Report, columns 619–20W.

Football Association

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to appoint (a) a regulator to oversee the operation of the Football Association and (b) an independent adviser to oversee constitutional change at the Football Association; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: The Government's aim for the Football Association is for them to be fit for purpose. The FA's Board and Council are committed to a review headed by an independent person and I remain in regular contact with all parties concerned.

Gambling Bill

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on which dates the proposals contained within the Gambling Bill were discussed at the Joint Ministerial Committee; and in what format.

Richard Caborn: I have no knowledge of this Committee.

Horse Racing

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will propose an extension to the horse racing levy system and board.

Richard Caborn: We have no plans to do so. We are, however, asking the British Horseracing Board for an assessment of the possible implications of a recent judgment of the European Court of Justice in relation to database rights.

Lottery Grants

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many swimming pools have been constructed with Lottery grants in each of the last 10 years.

Estelle Morris: 92 swimming pools, including those integrated with sports and leisure centres, have been constructed in the last 10 years. The year-by-year breakdown is as follows:
	
		
			  Pools constructed 
		
		
			 1995 14 
			 1996 9 
			 1997 11 
			 1998 13 
			 1999 10 
			 2000 10 
			 2001 10 
			 2002 8 
			 2003 7 
		
	
	Figures for 2004 are not yet available, and no lottery-funded swimming pools were constructed in 1994, as the first lottery panel did not convene until March 1995.

Lottery Grants

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the constituencies which have received Lottery grants for the construction of swimming pools in the last 10 years.

Estelle Morris: In the last 10 years, the following constituencies have received lottery grants for the construction of swimming pools:
	North Devon; Brigg and Goole; Weaver Vale; West Dorset; Penrith and the Border; Leominster; Truro and St. Austell; Surrey Heath; Vale of York; Cambridge; North Cornwall; Tiverton and Honiton; Richmond (Yorkshire); Ealing North; South East Cambridgeshire; South East Cornwall; Bristol North West; Wells; Forest of Dean; Aylesbury; Harrogate and Knaresborough; Yeovil; South West Norfolk; Liverpool Wavertree; North Wiltshire; Hitchin and Harpenden; Arundel and South Downs; Erith and Thamesmead; South Norfolk; East Devon; East Surrey; Rushcliffe; Woodspring; North West Leicestershire; Tiverton and Honiton; Ludlow; North Warwickshire; Bexleyheath and Crayford; Berwick-upon-Tweed; Hertsmere; Liverpool West Derby; Morecambe and Lunesdale; Bexhill and Battle; North West Hampshire; Epping Forest; Leicester South; Harrow East; West Chelmsford; Middlesbrough South and Cleveland; East; Totnes; Skipton and Ripon; Southport; Stockton South; Mid Dorset and North Poole; Westmorland and Lonsdale; Maidstone and The Weald; Somerton and Frome; Lewisham West; Croydon Central; Norwich South; Bath; Cheltenham; Nuneaton; Hertsmere; Grantham and Stamford; St. Ives; North Norfolk; Torridge and West Devon; Berwick-upon-Tweed; Durham North; Horsham; Newcastle East/Wallsend; Harborough; Beckenham; Liverpool, Riverside; Calder Valley; Upminster; Camberwell and Peckham; Blackpool South; Walsall South; Sunderland South; Liverpool, Garston; Department for Culture, Media and Sport Parliamentary Branch, 2–4 Cockspur Street, London SW1Y 5DH www.culture.gov.uk Morley and Rothwell; Huddersfield; Loughborough; Southampton Test; Cambridge; Hackney N. and Stoke Newington; Gloucester; East Ham; Norwich South; and Manchester Central.

Lottery Grants

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money was distributed to sport through the Lottery in each of the last 10 years.

Estelle Morris: The following amounts have been awarded to the sports good cause in each calendar year. The figures for 2004 are the latest available and will represent a lag in the reporting process.
	
		
			  Awarded (£ million) 
		
		
			 1995 1.7 
			 1996 2.1 
			 1997 1.8 
			 1998 1.9 
			 1999 6.1 
			 2000 10.4 
			 2001 13.1 
			 2002 9.7 
			 2003 4.9 
			 2004 1.4 
			 Total 53.1 
		
	
	The Big Lottery Fund and Awards for All programme (which receives contributions from Sport England, Arts Council England, Heritage Lottery Fund and Big Lottery Fund) also channel funding into projects that may involve an element of sport, however it is not possible to disaggregate precisely sports funding.
	The information is freely available from the Department's searchable Lottery award database at www.lottery.culture.gsi.gov.uk, which uses information supplied by the Lottery distributors.

PRIME MINISTER

Consultants

Michael Weir: To ask the Prime Minister how much his office spent in each year since 2002 on employing (a) external management consultants and (b) external human resources consultants; and if he will make a statement.

Pete Wishart: To ask the Prime Minister how much expenditure his Department has incurred in each year since 2002 on employing external consultants to deal with the press and public relations of his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: For these purposes my office is part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the hon. Members to the answer my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office gave the hon. Member for North Tayside (Pete Wishart) today.

Departmental Estate

Andrew Turner: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the properties occupied by (a) his Department and (b) its agencies in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2004, showing (A) for each and (B) in aggregate the area; and what in aggregate the annual rental value was.

Tony Blair: For these purposes my office is part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office today.

DEFENCE

156 Provost Company

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will issue posthumous medals to the members of 156 Provost Company, Royal Military Police, killed on active service in Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: The armed forces do not, as a matter of course, make recommendations for the award of military honours to all those who have died in the line of duty.
	However, service personnel who die on operations are awarded Campaign Medals. All the Royal Military Policemen who died in Al Majarr al Kabir last year were awarded posthumously the Iraq Campaign Medal, which was presented to their families at a service at the Royal Military Police Training School Chapel on 4 September 2004.

156 Provost Company

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will publish the findings of the report of the investigation into the deaths of members of 156 Provost Company, Royal Military Police, killed on active service in Iraq.

Geoff Hoon: The Board of Inquiry into the deaths of the six Royal Military Policemen who died in Al Majarr al Kabir last year has now concluded and I expect to be able to publish information on the outcome of that inquiry shortly.
	The Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch (SIB) investigation has been referred to the central criminal court of Iraq. In line with usual practice we have no plans to make public the SIB findings.

Channel Islands

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) British service personnel and (b) ships will take part in the 60th anniversary celebration of the liberation of the Channel Islands in May 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Ivor Caplin: Arrangements are being made for the armed forces to be represented at events in the Channel Islands in May 2005, but at this stage it is too early to be more specific.

Departmental Publications (Accessibility)

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what proportion of publications issued by his Department are available in (a) Braille, (b) autoprint, (c) large print and (d) easy read format.

Ivor Caplin: Due to the lack of demand, the Ministry of Defence no longer routinely holds in store copies of its corporate publications in formats such as Braille and large print. However, in accordance with the Ministry's equality and diversity guidelines and legislative requirements, alternative formats of corporate publications are provided as and when they are requested.

Falklands War

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the Ministry of Defence will sponsor a commemoration in the UK of the 25th anniversary of the liberation of the Falkland Islands.

Ivor Caplin: holding answer 17 May 2004
	I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him at Defence questions on 25 October 2004, Official Report, columns 1133–34.

Temporary Staff

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 2 November 2004, Official Report, column 223W, on temporary staff, how many agency temporary staff have been working for his Department in its central headquarters buildings in each of the last five years.

Ivor Caplin: holding answer 8 November 2004
	I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 2 November 2004, Official Report, column 223W.

US Military Personnel (Europe)

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the implications for UK security of the decision by the US Department of Defense to re-organise its military personnel in Europe.

Geoff Hoon: US plans for the disposition of their forces are a matter for them. Our assessment, however, of the US proposals for future deployments in Europe that have, so far, been made public is that they are entirely consistent with the historic US commitment to European security and to the NATO alliance. They reflect moves across the alliance to develop more flexible and rapidly deployable force structures, including through the development of the NATO Response Force and Allied Command for Transformation. The US have made clear their intention to continue to consult allies, including the UK, as their plans develop.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Central Government Grant

Michael Foster: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what changes there were in central Government grant allocated to (a) Hereford and Worcester county council for each year between 1992 and 1998 and (b) Worcestershire county council since 1998.

Nick Raynsford: The amount of central Government grant allocated to (a) Hereford and Worcester county council for each year between 1992 and 1998 and (b) Worcestershire county council since 1998 are in the following tables.
	
		Hereford and Worcester 
		
			  £000 
		
		
			 1993–94 318,044 
			 1994–95 328,233 
			 1995–96 277,981 
			 1996–97 290,772 
			 1997–98 292,429 
		
	
	
		Worcestershire
		
			  £000 
		
		
			 1998–99 234,279 
			 1999–2000 253,735 
			 2000–01 275,842 
			 2001–02 296,776 
			 2002–03 316,844 
			 2003–04 341,186 
			 2004–05 365,693 
		
	
	It is not possible to give figures for 1991–92 and 1992–93 as, under the community charge system which was in operation then, some grant was paid into the collection funds operated by lower tier authorities and hence supported expenditure by more than one tier.
	The data are taken from the Revenue Summary (RS) (outturn) forms for all years except 2003–04 and 2004–05 when the data are taken from the Revenue Account (RA) (budget) form. These forms are completed each year by individual local authorities.
	Grants in the table include special and specific grants inside "Aggregate External Finance", Standard Spending Assessment (SSA) reduction grant, Police grant, Revenue support grant, Central support protection grant and Redistributed Non- domestic rates.

Commonwealth Citizens (Voting Rights)

Marion Roe: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister under which legislation Commonwealth citizens are entitled to vote in local government elections in the UK; and what the eligibility criteria are.

Nick Raynsford: Qualifying Commonwealth citizens are entitled to vote in local government elections under section 2 of the Representation of the People Act 1983.
	To be eligible to vote in a local government election qualifying Commonwealth citizens must be registered in the register of local government electors for that area; must not be subject to any legal incapacity to vote, age apart; and must be of voting age, that is 18 years or over.
	Qualifying Commonwealth citizens are those who do not require leave to enter or remain in the UK under the Immigration Act 1971, or those who require leave, but for the time being have any description of such leave.

Commonwealth Citizens (Voting Rights)

Marion Roe: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether his Department is planning to review the entitlement of Commonwealth citizens to vote in UK elections for which his Department is responsible in countries in which British citizens are not entitled to vote in elections.

Nick Raynsford: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has no plans to carry out such a review.

Council Tax

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the effect of council tax revaluation and regional banding on Harrogate district.

Nick Raynsford: The Government have accepted the conclusion of the Balance of Funding Review that council tax should be retained but reformed. However, no decisions have yet been taken on what that reform should be. The Government looks to the Independent Inquiry, being undertaken by Sir Michael Lyons, to consider the detailed case for changes to the present system of local government funding, and to make recommendations on any changes that are necessary and how to implement them. This will include looking at how best to reform council tax, taking into account the revaluation in 2007 of English domestic property. Sir Michael is due to report by the end of 2005.

Council Tax

Claire Ward: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations he has received from (a) Hertfordshire police authority and (b) other authorities within Hertfordshire on the capping of council tax; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Raynsford: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister received representations from authorities in Hertfordshire in advance of the 2004–05 capping round, which has now been completed, but has not received representations about future capping action. However, I understand that Hertfordshire MPs have made representations to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Home Affairs, after having been contacted by Hertfordshire police authority.

Departmental Offices

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the cost of (a) decoration and (b) refurbishment of the London offices of the Department was in each of the last four years.

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not retain details of redecoration costs. However the costs of any redecoration as part of a refurbishment project exceeding £15,000 will be included in the following figures.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was established in May 2002. Since that date the following has been spent on refurbishment of the London headquarters offices and the Government office for London.
	
		
			  Total (£) 
		
		
			 2002–03 2,097,441 
			 2003–04 823,205 
		
	
	The figures provided, which exclude VAT, are gross expenditure and do not reflect receipts from other building occupants.
	Although the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has overall responsibility for the buildings occupied by Government offices, they carry out functions on behalf of 10 Government Departments.

Departmental Policy (South Dorset)

Jim Knight: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will set out, with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to the South Dorset constituency, the effects of changes to departmental policy since 1997 on the South Dorset constituency.

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy prime Minister is determined to develop to improve the lives of people across the UK, including the south-west.
	In the local government finance settlements since the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister took office we have been able to increase the amount of government grant given to local authorities by £19.1 billion. This is a 30 per cent. increase in real terms and compares with a 7 per cent. cut in the previous four years before 1997–98.
	The two local authorities in South Dorset have received average annual increases in formula grant since 1997 of 2.3 per cent. for Purbeck and 2.7 per cent. for Weymouth and Portland. Residents of South Dorset have also benefited from Dorset county council's increase in grant of 4.5 per cent.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is determined that everyone should have the opportunity to have a decent home. Where extra money is not required to achieve this, tenants can choose for their homes to remain under direct council management. Those local authorities requiring additional funding have three options; setting up an arm's length management organisation (ALMO), creating a private finance initiative (PFI) and transfer. This strategy has meant that in 2004 the number of social sector non-decent homes in England will have been reduced by 1 million.
	Since 1997 Purbeck transferred a total of 1,622 dwellings of which 835 were non-decent, to Purbeck Housing Trust, an RSL. In the same period Weymouth and Portland has transferred 3,105 dwellings to Weymouth and Portland Housing RSL.
	This year the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has provided £10.5 million in supporting people grant to Dorset county council to enable it to deliver housing related support services to vulnerable people in the area. Currently this provides over 7,000 units of support to a range of people, including homeless families, older people, people with learning disabilities and young people at risk.
	The Neighbourhood Statistics Service provides a wide range of statistical information at parliamentary constituency level, taken from the 2001 Census and other sources. This service is available on the National Statistics website at http://neighbourhood.statistics. gov.uk./.

Deprived Wards (England)

Keith Bradley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the top 10 per cent. of the most deprived wards in England.

Phil Hope: It is not possible to list the top 10 per cent. of the most deprived wards in England. The IMD2004 is not based on wards but on a new geography called Super Output Areas (SOAs). These are geographical areas which are designed to be similar in size and consistent over time. They have a population of approximately 1,000 to 3,000 people. There are 32,482 SOAs in England. A list of the top 10 per cent. of these, i.e. the most deprived 3,248 SOAs, has been made available in the Library of the House.

East of England Assembly

David Amess: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has for holding a referendum on setting up a Regional Assembly in the East of England.

Nick Raynsford: None.

Brownfield Land

Llew Smith: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the implications for the re-use of reclaimed brownfield land of the European Court of Justice case concerning the leakage of petrol from a petrol station involving the parties Texaco and Van de Walle.

Elliot Morley: I have been asked to reply.
	Judgments by the European Court of Justice are binding on member states and their "competent authorities". The Department is assessing the implications of the Court's judgment in Case C-1/03 for land affected by contamination and the remediation of such land. On conclusion of this assessment, I intend to publish a statement of the Department's views on the judgment's implications. I am not yet in a position to confirm when this will be but I recognise the need for our competent authorities and industry to be informed as soon as possible of our conclusions.

Energy Efficient Buildings (EU Directive)

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he will take to implement the EU Energy Performance in Buildings Directive requirement in relation to (a) combined heat and power and (b) district heating or cooling.

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister published on 21 July proposals for implementing these requirements as part of the revision of the Building Regulations energy efficiency provisions. The proposals can be inspected on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's web site, www.odpm.gov.uk. The consultation closed on 22 October and there has been a good response. This is now being considered by the Building Regulations Advisory Committee.

Fire Service

Andrew MacKay: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the (a) staff and (b) consultancy costs were of the (i) Fire Service Effectiveness Division, (ii) Fire Service Improvement Team and (iii) Fire Safety Legislation and Pensions Division from January 2002 to date.

Nick Raynsford: These divisions were formed in June 2003 following publication of the White Paper, "Our Fire and Rescue Service". Figures from that date are:
	
		
			  £000 
		
		
			 (a) Staff costs  
			 (i) Fire Service Effectiveness Division 1,903 
			 (ii) Fire Service Improvement Team 2,088 
			 (iii) Fire Safety Legislation and Pensions Division 1,316 
			   
			 (b) Consultancy costs  
			 (i) Fire Service Effectiveness Division 13,446 
			 (ii) Fire Service Improvement Team 1,891 
			 (iii) Fire Safety Legislation and Pensions Division 119

Key Workers (Housing)

Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 19 July 2004, Official Report, columns 10–11W, on key workers (housing), if he will make a statement on the progress of his discussions with employers and other Government departments about additional land contributions and access to accommodation.

Keith Hill: Over 750 dwellings of accommodation available for health staff have been made available to all key workers; further work is progressing with the Department of Health, the NHS Trusts and their RSL partners to increase the access of this type of short term rented accommodation for all key workers. Discussions are on-going with other Government Departments about contributing land.

Leukaemia

Sally Keeble: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the implications for planning policy of the preliminary findings of the study by the Childhood Cancer Research Group at Oxford University into possible links between power lines and increased rates of childhood leukaemia.

Keith Hill: Following the publication of the National Radiological Protection Board's (NRPB) new Electromagnetic Field (EMF) guidelines in March 2004 and the associated advice to Government, the Government are committed to taking forward the issue of building near power lines in consultation with all the relevant stakeholders. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's officials are participating in this process.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister takes advice from the Department of Health, which considers the implications of medical research projects.

Local Elections (Spending Limits)

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the candidate spending limits will be for the 2005 local elections in England; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Raynsford: The Government will shortly be inviting the Electoral Commission to make recommendations on what the limits should be for candidates' election expenses for parliamentary and local government elections. The Government will consider carefully any recommendation the Commission makes. The Government are presently consulting upon an inflation increase to such expenses limits for City of London ward elections and elections by liverymen in common hall.

Local Government Finance

Douglas Hogg: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he takes to reflect the cost of providing local authority services in rural areas of England in central government funding; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Raynsford: The relative cost of providing local authority services for all appropriate authorities, including rural areas, is assessed using the individual Formula Spending Share (FSS) formulae. The formulae split the total amount of FSS for the service between authorities taking into account their various socio-economic factors. They are generally of the form of:
	a basic amount for each client (for example, primary school pupils) that is the same for each authority;
	a deprivation top-up that allows for the additional cost of providing services in deprived areas;
	an area cost top-up that recognises that wages and business rates vary across the country; and
	other top-ups that take into account a number of other cost pressures including rural sparsity, density and visitors and commuters.

Local Government Finance

Douglas Hogg: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will use up to date population figures in the formula grant calculations made by his Department for the support of local authority services; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Raynsford: Yes. The formula grant calculations are based on the latest available mid-year population estimates. For example, the 2005–06 Local Government Finance Settlement will be based on the mid-2003 population estimates released on 9 September 2004.

Local Government Finance

Douglas Hogg: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will increase the area cost adjustment; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Raynsford: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister calculates the area cost adjustment (ACA) for 53 areas in England and Wales. The 25 areas with the lowest wage costs are protected by the lower limit, and receive an ACA of one. For the remaining 28 ACA areas, the size of the ACA in each area is determined using data on local wage and business premises costs. We do not intend to change the way the ACA is calculated during the current formula freeze.
	The majority of the data the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister expects to use in calculating the 2005–06 provisional Formula Spending Shares for each authority is now available on the internet at: http:// www.local.odpm.gov.uk/finance/0506/grant.htm. This includes the 2005–6 ACA factors for each local authority.

Local Government Finance

Douglas Hogg: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average per capita external grant support for all local authority services was in 2004–05 in (a) England, (b) inner London, (c) outer London and (d) Lincolnshire.

Nick Raynsford: The following table shows the average per capita amount of revenue support grant (RSG) and redistributed business rates (NNDR) for all services for the areas requested.
	
		
			 Area All service RSG plus NNDR per head (£ per head) 
		
		
			 England 846.54 
			 Inner London boroughs  excluding the City of London 1,300.05 
			 Outer London boroughs 971.78 
			 Lincolnshire 742.54 
		
	
	Lincolnshire's all service amount per head has been calculated as the weighted average of the all service amount per head for each of its districts. These are tabled as follows:
	
		
			 Area All service RSG plus NNDR per head (£ per head) 
		
		
			 Boston 753.46 
			 East Lindsey 755.64 
			 Lincoln 765.42 
			 North Kesteven 724.51 
			 South Holland 746.13 
			 South Kesteven 727.36 
			 West Lindsey 730.74 
		
	
	The differences in the all service amount per head reflect differences in both the socio-economic characteristics of the area and the relative ability of councils to raise council tax.

Local Government Finance

Douglas Hogg: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will change the rules which limit the gains local authorities may make in grant settlements as a result of formula changes; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Raynsford: The distribution method for formula grant includes a formula that takes account of the relative socio-economic characteristics of local authority areas; an element that takes account of the relative ability of councils to raise council tax; and guaranteed minimum grant increases (the "floors"). Grant floors must be paid for within the total amount of grant that goes to authorities each year. In recent years, the cost of the floor has been recovered both from a "ceiling"—a maximum grant increase—and a scaling factor applied to grant increases between the floor and the ceiling. Decisions on the level of floors and how to fund them in 2005–06 have not yet been taken.

Local Government Finance

Douglas Hogg: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the per capita external grant support from his Department to (a) Lincolnshire county council, (b) Lincolnshire Police Authority, (c) Boston borough council, (d) East Lindsey district council, (e) City of Lincoln council, (f) North Kesteven district council, (g) South Holland district council, (h) South Kesteven district council and (i) West Lindsey district council was in 2004–05.

Nick Raynsford: A table showing Revenue Support Grant (RSG), redistributed business rates (NNDR), the sum of RSG and NNDR, mid-2002 population estimates and the sum of RSG and NNDR per head, for the authorities requested, is tabled as follows.
	
		
			 Authority Revenue Support Grant  (£ million) Redistributed business rates  (£ million) RSG plus NNDR  (£ million) Mid-2002 population estimates (Number of people) RSG plus NNDR per head (£ per head) 
		
		
			 Lincolnshire 241.838 172.220 414.058 657,843 629.42 
			 Lincolnshire Police 13.725 8.959 22.685 657,843 34.48 
			 Boston 3.533 1.544 5.077 56,686 89.56 
			 East Lindsey 8.550 3.611 12.161 132,571 91.73 
			 Lincoln 6.384 2.341 8.725 85,947 101.52 
			 North Kesteven 3.232 2.638 5.870 96,852 60.61 
			 South Holland 4.351 2.155 6.506 79,125 82.22 
			 South Kesteven 4.546 3.418 7.965 125,501 63.46 
			 West Lindsey 3.214 2.211 5.425 81,161 66.84 
		
	
	The mid-2002 population estimates given are those published on 27 January 2004. These were used in the calculation of the 2004–05 Revenue Support Grant and redistributed business rates. It should be noted that the Office for National Statistics published revised mid-2002 population estimates on 9 September 2004.

Regional Fire Control Rooms

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether his Department sought advice from (a) the Strathclyde fire control centre and (b) the London fire control centre in developing its proposals for regional fire control rooms.

Nick Raynsford: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister looked at the experience of a range of control centres dealing with emergency calls in developing our proposals for regional fire control centres. These included Strathclyde and London as well as other fire and rescue services, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Highways Agency, and police services across the UK. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister did not specifically seek advice from the Strathclyde fire control centre but the London fire control centre has provided advice and assistance to the FiReControl project, along with other fire and rescue services. The FiReControl project has several experienced fire control managers seconded from English fire and rescue services to provide advice as the project progresses.

Regional Fire Control Rooms

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister in what percentage of calls from (a) land line phones and (b) mobile phones the location of the call can be identified in fire control rooms.

Nick Raynsford: In 2002–03, the most recent year for which data are available, fire control staff in England and Wales handled 1,797,193 emergency calls. It is not currently possible to disaggregate the data between mobile or landline calls, nor is any information available centrally on the proportion of calls where the location of the call can be identified in fire control rooms.

Mortgage Costs

Andrew George: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of household income was spent on mortgages by first-time buyers in (a) rural and (b) urban areas in England and Wales in each of the past 10 years for which records are available.

Keith Hill: Estimates of initial mortgage repayments by first-time buyers as a percentage of the gross income on which their mortgage application was based are tabled as follows. Figures are provided for each of the English regions and for Wales. However it is not possible to provide a breakdown by urban and rural areas.
	
		Percentage
		
			  North East North West Yorks and Humber East Midlands West Midlands East London South East South West England Wales 
		
		
			 1994 15.2 17.1 17.0 17.1 17.7 18.3 18.9 18.8 18.3 18.0 16.8 
			 1995 16.4 18.1 17.9 17.9 18.3 19.2 20.4 19.8 19.6 19.0 17.6 
			 1996 15.9 16.9 16.0 16.4 16.6 17.2 18.8 18.2 17.8 17.5 16.3 
			 1997 15.6 17.3 16.8 16.6 17.5 17.9 19.8 18.9 18.5 18.2 16.6 
			 1998 17.1 18.1 17.9 18.1 18.8 19.7 21.4 20.6 20.3 19.7 18.5 
			 1999 15.4 16.7 16.9 16.6 17.2 18.3 20.3 19.5 18.7 18.4 16.7 
			 2000 16.6 18.0 17.9 17.8 18.7 20.0 21.9 21.3 19.9 19.8 17.7 
			 2001 16.6 17.2 16.9 17.7 18.3 19.2 21.1 19.7 19.7 19.1 17.3 
			 2002 14.8 16.1 15.6 17.8 17.0 18.5 20.2 20.0 19.4 18.5 16.4 
			 2003 16.1 17.4 16.7 18.8 18.5 21.3 22.6 22.1 20.5 20.5 17.1 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The mortgage interest rates used in the calculations are the general rates that applied at the time that the first-time buyers made their purchase. And, for those years when MIRAS existed, they reflect the net interest rates after MIRAS.
	2. For consistency, it is assumed throughout that the type of mortgage was a "repayment" mortgage. In other words the repayments reflect both payments of both interest and part capital.
	3. Data up to and including 2002 are based on a 5 per cent. sample of mortgage completions. The 2003 figures are based on a significantly larger sample.
	Source:
	Survey of Mortgage Lenders

Regional Government

Nigel Evans: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the timetable for a referendum on regional government in the north-west;

George Osborne: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether he plans to proceed with referendums on regional government in the (a) North West and (b) Yorkshire and the Humber.

Nick Raynsford: I refer the hon. Member to the statement given by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister on 8 November 2004, Official Report, columns 587–606.

Social Rented Homes

Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what proportion of the 10,000 social rented homes to be provided annually by 2007–08 will be funded from (a) the additional £430 million in Approved Development Programme funding and (b) efficiency savings;
	(2)  if he will break down by Government office region the location of the 10,000 social rented homes to be provided annually by 2007–08.

Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will provide an additional 10,000 homes a year for social rent funded by direct investment through the Approved Development Programme, an expanded private finance initiative programme and efficiencies in procurement.
	Decisions have not yet been taken on how regional housing pot funding, of which the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme is one element, for 2006–07 and 2007–08 (including the additional funding for affordable housing) is split between regions. This needs to reflect the different pattern of needs across regions and the Government's national housing priorities, including development of the growth areas, and targets. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister aims to complete this work, which raises some complex issues, by the end of the year.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will announce decisions on allocation of funding within regions next summer in the light of recommendations from Regional Housing Boards, which are due in May next year.
	Even after the regional allocations are decided the location of the additional social housing rented units will not be known until after the respective bidding rounds. In many cases the homes will be provided through a combination of grant and efficiency savings.

Social Rented Homes

Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to require social rented and shared ownership housing to be built on the same sites as his Department's proposed 60,000 homes for first time buyers.

Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister remains strongly committed to the provision of mixed tenure communities and we will set out full details in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Strategic Plan.

Social Rented Homes

Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether he plans to limit access to his Department's proposed 60,000 homes for first time buyers to people in social rented housing or on housing waiting lists in that area.

Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently considering criteria for eligibility and will set out further details of the scheme in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Strategic Plan.

South West Regional Assembly

Angela Browning: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will take steps to abolish the South West Regional Assembly; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Raynsford: No. The South West Regional Assembly is a voluntary body recognised by Government for certain purposes. The Government have no plans to alter that position.

Strategic Plan

Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects to publish his Department's Five-Year Strategic Plan.

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister intends to publish the Plan shortly.

Wilf Ward Trust

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what funding has been provided to the Wilf Ward Family Trust through a Supporting People grant in 2003–04;
	(2)  what funding has been allocated to the Wilf Ward Family Trust through a Supporting People grant for 2005–06.

Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister provides grants directly to Administering Authorities to enable them to procure housing related support services. The amount of funding provided to individual services is therefore a matter of local discretion.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Commonwealth Citizens (Voting Rights)

Marion Roe: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many Commonwealth citizens voted (a) at the UK general election in 2001, (b) at the Birmingham, Hodge Hill by-election in 2004 and (c) at the Leicester, South by-election in 2004.

Christopher Leslie: No record is kept of the country of origin or nationality of voters participating in UK elections.

Commonwealth Citizens (Voting Rights)

Marion Roe: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs under which legislation Commonwealth citizens are entitled to vote in (a) general elections and (b) European parliamentary elections in the UK; what the eligibility criteria are in each case; and whether all Commonwealth citizens are entitled to vote in referenda in the UK.

Christopher Leslie: Entitlement to vote in UK parliamentary elections is set out at section 1 of the Representation of the People Act 1983, and in European parliamentary elections at section 8 of the European Parliamentary Elections Act 2002. These statutory provisions provide for Commonwealth citizens to vote in UK and European parliamentary elections. Only those persons who are included on the electoral register are entitled to vote and eligibility to register is set out at section 4 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (persons who are registered for UK parliamentary election are also eligible to vote in European parliamentary elections). Section 4 of the Act entitles 'qualifying' Commonwealth citizens to register to vote and they are defined as Commonwealth citizens who do not require leave under the Immigration Act 1971 to enter or remain in the United Kingdom, or such persons who for the time being have any description of such leave. The franchise for referendums is determined on an individual basis and is set out explicitly in the relevant dedicated enabling legislation.

Commonwealth Citizens (Voting Rights)

Marion Roe: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether his Department is planning to review the entitlement of Commonwealth citizens to vote in UK elections for which his Department is responsible in countries in which British citizens are not entitled to vote in elections.

Christopher Leslie: My Department has no plans at present to carry out such a review.

Consultants

John Maples: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will list the contracts awarded by his Department to consultants in each of the last five years, stating in each case (a) the name of the consulting company, (b) the value of the contract and (c) the purpose for which the contract was awarded; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: Information on the value of individual consultancy contracts and the purposes for which they were awarded is not held centrally by my Department and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The Department does however collect details of expenditure with consultants on an annual basis. The Department's expenditure over the last five financial years is as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1999–2000 1.9 
			 2000–01 2.6 
			 2001–02 6.5 
			 2002–03 5.7 
			 2003–04 9.0 
		
	
	The Department uses consultants for the provision of expert professional advice and support on specific, time-limited tasks, usually in connection with projects, but sometimes in support of the ongoing operation of the Department. Services performed include customer and market surveys, risk assessments, provision of technical advice (e.g. IT Security, Health and Safety), undertaking specific studies and reviews and supporting the implementation of major projects and programmes.
	The recent increase reflects the wide-ranging and fast-paced programme to modernise the Department's work, to increase efficiency, provide better customer service, and value for money for the taxpayer.
	Delivering such a programme, in the most effective and efficient way, has necessitated the use of external expertise and skills to supplement the Department's own resources.

Departmental Staff

John Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what percentage of the staff of the Department in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003 were people with disabilities.

David Lammy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 9 November 2004, Official Report, column 619W.

District Judges' Salaries

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the total expenditure was on district judges' salaries and expenses in each of the last 10 years.

Christopher Leslie: pursuant to the reply, 20 October 2004, Official Report, c. 772W
	The figures provided in my previous answer also included expenditure on other judicial office holders not paid from the consolidated fund. These include masters and registrars in the High Court, tribunal adjudicators and chairman. The following table sets out the net salary costs for county court district judges over the last six years, as well as the total expenditure by the Court Service departmentally paid judicial salaries including employers national insurance and superannuation contributions.
	
		£
		
			  DJ salaries exclusive of NI/superannuation All judicial salaries of NI/superannuation 
		
		
			 1998–99 27,566,445 46,626,845 
			 1999–2000 29,858,574 53,747,583 
			 2000–01 32,815,714 60,841,891 
			 2001–02 34,389,992 66,009,217 
			 2002–03 36,242,439 72,311,129 
			 2003–04 38,949,490 88,286,003

District Judges' Salaries

Norman Baker: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Romford (Mr. Rosindell) of 20 October 2004, Official Report, column 772W, on district judges' salaries, what factors underlie the size of the annual increases from 1998–99 to 2003–04; and what the projected figure for 2004–05 is.

Christopher Leslie: I refer the hon. Member to the pursuant answer I gave today to the hon. Member for Romford (Mr. Rosindell).
	The annual increases from 1998–99 to 2003–04 on district judges' salaries are largely due to the increase in the number of district judges (these have increased from 385 in 1998–99 to 436 in 2003–04), annual pay increases, as recommended by the SSRB and increases in superannuation and national insurance.
	The projected district judge salaries figure for 2004–05 (net of national insurance and superannuation) is £40,208,534.

CABINET OFFICE

Buying British

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the Cabinet Office policy is on buying British goods.

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for South, West Bedfordshire (Andrew Selous) by my predecessor my hon. Friend for Paisley, South (Mr. Alexander) on 20 April 2004, Official Report, column 154.

Civil Service

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many UK civil service jobs are located in Scotland, broken down by (a) constituency and (b) local authority area; and what percentage of the total number of civil service jobs those located in Scotland represent.

Ruth Kelly: holding answer 9 November 2004
	The number of civil service jobs is not available centrally at constituency level. The number of civil service jobs at local authority area is also not available centrally.
	The number of jobs as at 1 April 2003, in Scotland is shown in Table D of Civil Service Statistics 2003, which is available on the internet at http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management_information/statistical_information/statistics/index.asp. and in the Library. These figures are updated annually.

Commencement of Legislation

Brian White: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what pieces of legislation passed in the last 30 years that the Department is responsible for remain to be brought into force, broken down by year of enactment.

Ruth Kelly: There is no legislation passed in the last 30 years for which the Cabinet Office is responsible which has yet to be brought into force.

Consultants

Pete Wishart: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much expenditure her Department has incurred in each year since 2002 on employing external consultants to deal with press and public relations; and if she will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The Department spent £13.39 million and £15.93 million on external consultancy in the financial years 2002–03 and 2003–04 respectively. External consultancy encompasses several areas including financial, information technology and communications.
	Expenditure on press and public relations consultancy is also contained within the external consultancy figures and cannot be separately identified without incurring disproportionate cost.

Consultation

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the organisations and individuals outside his Department who are (a) sent information on and (b) consulted about individuals who may be proposed for appointment to posts for which he is responsible.

Alan Milburn: Those consulted in relation to Duchy appointments depend upon whether the appointment is public or personal to Her Majesty the Queen; many of which are ceremonial.
	Public appointments apply almost entirely to the Palatinate magistracy. Local advisory committees are set up for the recruitment and subsequent recommendation of suitable candidates for appointment as Justice of Peace.
	Personal appointments by Her Majesty the Queen are not public appointments but, in each case, wide consultation is undertaken with the Duchy Officers as well as: the Lord Lieutenants of Lancashire, Merseyside and Manchester; Lancashire county council; the Prime Minister's Secretary of Appointments; local parish committees; and various local bodies and individuals with relevant experience of the post or who may know an identified candidate for the position.

Departmental Properties/Staff

Andrew Turner: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will list the properties occupied by (a) the Cabinet Office and (b) its agencies in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2004, stating (A) for each and (B) in aggregate the area; and what the aggregate rental value was in each year.

Ruth Kelly: holding answer 1 November 2004
	Figures requested in respect of the Cabinet Office's estate are as follows:
	
		
			  2004–05 
			 Building Size (m(7)) (n/a) Rental value as at April 2004 (£) 
		
		
			 Cabinet Office buildings   
			 70 Whitehall(6) 7,319 19,930,000 
			 10–12 Downing Street(6) 3,388 16,700,000 
			 36 Whitehall(6) 2,031 6,600,000 
			 53 Parliament Street(6) 892 3,400,000 
			 Centre for Management Policy Studies College (Sunningdale) 2,411 2,070,000 
			 Centre for Management Policy Studies College (London) 1,896 n/a 
			 GOGGS/1 Horse Guards Road 323 n/a 
			 7 St. James's Square 1,202 388,000 
			 Admiralty Arch(6) 7,383 23,500,000 
			 22 Whitehall(6) 4,579 20,000,000 
			 9 Whitehall 1,622 567,000 
			 10 Great George Street 1,354 504,000 
			 35 Great Smith Street 1,813 580,000 
			 2 Little Smith Street 610 200,000 
			 67 Tufton Street 2,087 674,000 
			 Stockley House 2,937 1,087,000 
			 St. Clements House (Norwich) 284 n/a 
			 Grosvenor House (Basingstoke) 1,695 n/a 
			 Emergency Planning College (Easingwold)(6) 10,230 n/a 
			
			 Government News Network space (overall) 
			 Newcastle 200 n/a 
			 Manchester 419 n/a 
			 Leeds 447 n/a 
			 Birmingham 357 n/a 
			 Bristol 309 n/a 
			 Notts 172 n/a 
			 Cambridge 220 n/a 
			 London 156 n/a 
			 Guildford 165 n/a 
			 Scotland 29 n/a 
			 NDS 110 n/a 
			
			 Centre for Management Policies Studies College ( Edinburgh) 46 27,000 
			 Hercules House (COI) 10,000 1,800,000 
			 Total 66,687 98,709,000 
			
			 Cabinet Office agencies buildings   
			 GCDA London 5,806 615,000 
			 GCDA Cardiff 143 7,400 
			 GCDA Birmingham 26 1,150 
			 GCDA Bradford 98 6,843 
			 Total 6,073 630,393 
		
	
	(6) Freehold properties. Remaining properties are either held as leasehold properties or via a Memorandum of Terms of Occupation (MOTO) with another department.
	Notes:
	1. Figures for 1997–98 and those marked 'n/a' can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	2. Figures for the size of buildings exclude space occupied by another Government department.
	3. Figures shown under the 'rental value' column are as at 1 April 2004. For leasehold properties or those occupied via a MOTO, the figures shown are the estimated open market rental values. For freehold properties the figures are the 'existing use value' figures, adjusted to reflect any space occupied by other departments.

Departmental Properties/Staff

Tim Loughton: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people in the Office earn more than a whole-time equivalent salary of £57,485 per year.

Ruth Kelly: Information of the number of civil servants in departments and agencies (where known) whose whole-time equivalent salary exceeds £57,485 per annum has been placed in the Library. The information provided is at 1 April 2004.

London Project

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the London Project.

Alan Milburn: The Strategy Unit's London Project published its final report in July 2004. The work is now being taken forward by a Cabinet Committee chaired by my right hon. Friend, the Minister of State at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (Keith Hill).

Press Releases

Pete Wishart: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many press releases have been issued by her Department in each month of 2004; and if she will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The Government News Network (GNN) issues press releases on behalf of all departments except the Prime Minister's Office, the Scotland Office, the Wales Office and the Northern Ireland Office. The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		Period: January-October 2004
		
			 Department Total Releases 
		
		
			 Attorney Generals Office 24 
			 Cabinet Office 81 
			 Department for Constitutional Affairs 302 
			 Department for Constitutional Affairs (Judicial Appointments) 165 
			 Department for Culture, Media and Sport 179 
			 Department for Education and Skills 141 
			 Department for International Development 20 
			 Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 1065 
			 Department for Transport 599 
			 Department for Work and Pensions 255 
			 Department of Health 396 
			 Department of Trade and Industry 1492 
			 Foreign and Commonwealth Office 597 
			 HM Treasury 197 
			 Home Office 458 
			 Ministry of Defence 349 
			 Office of The Deputy Prime Minister 854 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Departments not issuing through NDS—House of Commons, Northern Ireland Office, Privy Council Office, Scotland Office, Wales Office and Prime Minster's Office.
	2. The above figures include both national and regional releases

Public Appointments

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what public appointments he has made since taking office.

Alan Milburn: Since 13 September 2004 I have approved, as the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the appointment of magistrates to the Benches within the Duchy area.
	In making these appointments the Duchy follows the procedures laid down by the Department for Constitutional Affairs.
	The Duchy Office has appointed members to its Advisory Committees on Justices of the Peace.
	Furthermore, Advisory Committee Chairmen were appointed, selected from the existing Advisory Committee.

Sustainable Energy (CHP Provisions) Order

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what measures her Department (a) has undertaken and (b) plans to undertake to comply with the Sustainable Energy (CHP Provisions) Order 2003.

Ruth Kelly: Cabinet Office buildings in Whitehall make use of heating from CHP via the Whitehall District Energy Scheme, although this does not extend to CHP generated electricity.
	We will aim to contribute to the CHP generated electricity commitments set out in the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate where there is likely to be no significant costs and/or further increase the percentage of electricity supplies currently being generated from renewable sources.

Working Mothers

Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the number of women working for the Government who have children;
	(2)  how many women working for the Government are single parents.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested is not collected centrally.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Ambassadors

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether ambassadors are expected to learn the official language of the country of their posting; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: Yes, all Heads of Mission posted to a country where English is not an official language are expected to learn the official language. They are given language training to enable them to do so.

Armenia/Azerbaijan

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government have taken to encourage Armenia to withdraw from Azerbaijani territories in accordance with 1993 UN Security Council Resolutions 822, 853 and 874.

Bill Rammell: The OSCE Minsk Group is the framework that leads on negotiation towards a settlement to the Nagorno Karabakh dispute. While the UK is not a member of the Minsk Group, we support its work and remain in close touch through the work of the UK Special Representative Sir Brian Fall. The UK will support any mechanism for the resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh dispute which both parties can accept and which has a realistic chance of delivering a lasting political settlement.

Armenia/Azerbaijan

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement regarding the changes in the demographic make-up of the Nagorno Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.

Bill Rammell: Since the fighting began in 1988 in Nagorno Karabakh, large numbers of Azerbaijanis and Armenians have been displaced throughout the region. There are strong humanitarian reasons for negotiating a settlement that improves the conditions of those displaced as a result of the conflict. We urge all parties to the dispute to seek a lasting political settlement through negotiation. We note that the Government of Azerbaijan has introduced for debate at United Nations General Assembly the subject of settlement in Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding seven districts outside Azeri control.

Bangladesh

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Bangladesh on (a) the burning of the Ahmadiyya Mosque in Brahmanbaria and (b) harassment of the Ahmadiyya community in that country; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: On 5 November, EU Heads of Mission in Dhaka visited the main Ahmadiyya mosque in Dhaka to demonstrate EU concern over the attack at Brahmanbaria. Officials in London and at our High Commission in Dhaka regularly raise the treatment of religious minorities, including the Ahmadiyyas, with the Bangladeshi authorities. We remain concerned about the Ahmadiyyas and continue to encourage the Bangladeshi authorities to ensure that they are suitably protected. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and make representations whenever appropriate.

Cayman Islands

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether there will be an independent review of the handling of the state of emergency in the Cayman Islands; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Ivan striking the Cayman Islands, a state of emergency was declared, in accordance with the Cayman Island's constitution, on 11 September 2004 and revoked on 27 September. We see no need for an independent review as this was a prudent measure. There were reports of opportunistic looting following the Hurricane. The Government provided funding for police officers from neighbouring Overseas Territories to provide short-term support for the local police force. We also assisted with immediate needs for medical supplies, technical expertise and helping restore essential services. We continue to be engaged in the post- hurricane recovery effort.

Commonwealth

Marion Roe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many countries, excluding the UK, belong to the Commonwealth; if he will list them; and what the population is of each country.

Bill Rammell: In addition to the United Kingdom, 52 sovereign nations are members of the Commonwealth. Full details, including population, are updated annually and published in "The Commonwealth Yearbook". A copy of the publication is held in the Library of the House.

Correspondence

Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood will receive a substantive reply to her letter of 23 August on behalf of a constituent Mrs. Shamila Shaheen Sia concerning her husband, Mr. Raja Rashad Majeed Khan (reference: GV100/98911/NMJ).

Chris Mullin: UKvisas replied to my right hon. Friend on 10 November.

Departmental Contracts

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the 30 largest contracts awarded by his Department from (a) May 2001 to April 2002, (b) May 2002 to April 2003, (c) May 2003 to April 2004 and (d) May 2004 to the latest date for which information is available, indicating in each case (i) the values of the contracts and (ii) the companies with which the contracts were placed.

Bill Rammell: Because of the large quantity of information required to answer the question, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has made it available in the Library of the House in spreadsheet format.
	Some of the contracts awarded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office involve security matters. I am therefore withholding this information under Exemption l(a) of Part 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, which covers information whose disclosure would harm national security.

Departmental Contracts

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  which non-accounting and non-information technology external organisations which previously held contracts with his Department (a) won new contracts at the culmination of the existing contracts and (b) won new contracts after a period of inactivity with his Department in each of the past four years;
	(2)  which non-accounting and non-information technology external organisations have won new contracts with (a) his Department and (b) executive agencies for which he is responsible in each of the past three years.

Bill Rammell: This detailed information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Ivory Coast

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of France concerning the military situation in Ivory Coast; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: On 7 November my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary expressed his condolences to the French Foreign Minister for the deaths of nine French peacekeepers killed in an airstrike on 6 November. He confirmed our support for French actions to defend civilians in Abidjan, and thanked them for their support of the UN operation. He expressed our gratitude for French help in protecting British nationals in Abidjan.

Ivory Coast

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions (a) he and (b) his officials had with the Government of Ivory Coast concerning its security situation prior to the recent emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.

Chris Mullin: Since the signing of the Linas Marcoussis Agreement in January 2003 we have maintained an intense dialogue with the Ivorian Government, and indeed major Ivorian parties, to urge all Ivorian signatories to fulfil their responsibilities and deliver sustainable peace.
	Last weekend we expressed our deep concern to the Cote d'lvoire Government at the security situation, calling for an end to the violence, and emphasising that the Government of Cote d'lvoire is responsible for the safety of all British Nationals.

Ivory Coast

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have been held with the Organisation of African Union concerning the situation in the Ivory Coast; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: We discussed the situation in Cote d'lvoire with President Obasanjo of Nigeria, the current Chair of the African Union (AU) on 7 November.
	On 6 November, the AU and the Economic Community of West African States met to discuss the Ivorian political crisis. The AU has condemned the Ivorian airstrikes, and is working to develop a political solution to the crisis. We welcome this.
	We strongly condemn the breach of the cease-fire and have called on the Government of Cote d'lvoire to end all military action and to guarantee the safety of foreign nationals.

Nigeria/Cameroon

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking to encourage Nigeria to cede sovereignty of the Bakassi peninsula to Cameroon, as required under the October 2002 ruling by the International Court of Justice.

Chris Mullin: We have made clear to both Nigeria and Cameroon our support for the International Court of Justice ruling. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 13 October 2004, Official Report, column 299W.
	We support the work of the UN Mixed Commission and look to Nigeria and Cameroon to negotiate the detail of implementation. We hope the decision at the last meeting in October to remit further discussion to the respective Heads of State, and the UN Secretary-General, will lead to a swift resolution.

Romania

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Foreign Minister of Romania in connection with that country's application for EU membership.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I regularly meet Romanian Foreign Minister Mircea Geoana in London, Brussels and Bucharest. I met him most recently during the visit of President Iliescu on 8 September 2004. We regularly discuss Romania's preparations for EU accession. Mr. Geoana often expresses his gratitude for the UK's continuing support and assistance.

Rwanda

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will assess the threat posed to the security of Rwanda by the presence of Ex-FAR/Interahamwe in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo; and whether the level of threat has altered since 1994.

Chris Mullin: The Ex-FAR/Interahamwe are a well armed force of several thousand. Since 1994, their strength and potency has diminished, but they continue to pose a threat to the security and stability of Rwanda's border regions and eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Southern Thailand

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions have taken place between the Government and Thailand regarding instability in the provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala.

Douglas Alexander: We have expressed our concerns to the Thai Government at the loss of life during and after clashes between protestors and members of the Thai security forces on 25 October.
	An independent committee is investigating the tragedy. We welcome this investigation and hope the committee can swiftly establish the facts to allow those responsible to be held fully accountable.
	We remain in close contact with the Thai Government about the situation in the far south of Thailand.

Turkey

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Turkey's proposed accession to the EU accession.

Denis MacShane: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Govan (Mr. Sarwar) on 18 October 2004, Official Report, column 473W.

HEALTH

A and E Staff

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff were employed in the accident and emergency departments in Hull and East Yorkshire NHS Trust on 1 October (a) 2004 and (b) 2003, broken down by grade.

Melanie Johnson: Figures for the number of staff employed in accident and emergency departments on 1 October 2004 have not yet been published. The figures for 2003 are shown in the table.
	
		Hospital, public health medicine and community health services: medical staff within Hull and East Yorkshire National Health Service Trust with a specialty in accident and emergency medicine
		
			 As at 30 September 2003 Number (headcount) 
		
		
			 Grand total 34 
			 Of which:  
			 Consultant 5 
			 Non-consultant career grade 5 
			 Registrar group 1 
			 Senior house officer 22 
			 House officer 0 
			 Hospital practitioner/clinical assistant 1 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health medical and dental workforce census

Breast Cancer

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the waiting times for breast cancer treatment were in each year since 1997 in North Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Trust; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is shown in the following tables.
	
		Waiting times from diagnosis to treatment of breast cancer: Northern Lincolnshire and Goole hospitals national health service trust
		
			   Number of patients waiting 
			  Quarter O to 31 days 32 to 38 days 39 to 48 days 49 to 60 days Over 60 days 
		
		
			 2001–02 4 38 0 0 0 0 
			 2002–03 1 47 0 0 0 0 
			 2002–03 2 51 6 1 2 0 
			 2002–03 3 68 4 0 1 0 
			 2002–03 4 44 7 0 0 0 
			 2003–04 1 60 3 0 0 0 
			 2003–04 2 61 1 0 0 0 
			 2003–04 3 63 2 0 0 0 
			 2003–04 4 47 1 0 0 0 
			 2004–05 1 38 0 0 0 0 
		
	
	Note:
	Data was collected from 2001.
	
		Waiting times from urgent general practitioner referral with suspected breast cancer to treatment for breast cancer: Northern Lincolnshire and Goole hospitals NHS Trust
		
			  Number of patients waiting 
			  Quarter 0 to 62 days Over 63 days 
		
		
			 2003–04(7) 1 27 2 
			 2003–04 2 33 3 
			 2003–04 3 36 4 
			 2003–04 4 22 4 
			 2004–05 1 25 1 
		
	
	(7) Earliest data collected.
	Source: Department of Health forms QMCW and CWTDB.

Cancelled Operations

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations in Hull and the East Riding in (a) 2003 and (b) 2004 were cancelled for non-clinical reasons; and what proportion of admissions these figures represent in each case.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		
			 RWA—Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals National Health Service Trust Number of last minute cancellations for non-clinical reasons in the quarter Cancellations as a percentage of elective admissions 
		
		
			 2002–03 Quarter 4 249 1.6 
			 2003–04 Quarter 1 199 1.3 
			  Quarter 2 241 1.5 
			  Quarter 3 205 1.3 
			  Quarter 4 222 1.3 
			 2004–05 Quarter 1 217 1.4 
		
	
	Source:
	Hospital activity team, QMCO.

Cancer

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made since the publications by the National Audit Office of its report, "Tackling cancer in England: saving more lives", HC364, Session 2003–04, in improving (a) five year survival rates and (b) mortality rates.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 9 November 2004
	No new assessment has been made comparing progress to other countries as regards cancer survival and mortality since the National Audit Office report was published.

Capital Investment

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress of capital investment in primary care facilities in Hodge Hill; and what future capital investments will be made in (a) 2005, (b) 2006 and (c) 2007.

Melanie Johnson: There are four schemes for capital investment in primary care facilities in the Eastern Birmingham primary care trust area, which includes the Hodge Hill constituency. These have either been completed or there is a planned investment within the period 2003–04 to 2006–07. The schemes are as follows:
	Pearl Medical Centre—completed in 2003–04 with an investment of £200,000.
	Washwood Heath—refurbishment costs of £50,000 in 2004–05.
	Saltley Medical Centre—an interim solution at a cost of £600,000 in 2004–05. A permanent solution through the local investment finance trust (LIFT) programme is planned, at a cost of £6.5 million, scheduled to commence in 2006.
	Kitts Green Medical Centre—a LIFT scheme of £3.5 million is planned to start in 2007.

Care Assistants

Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the proportion of care assistants working in the UK who are from (a) the UK, (b) Eastern Europe and (c) the Philippines.

Stephen Ladyman: The information is not available centrally.
	Data collected by the local government employers' organisation showed that, as at 30 September 2001, grossed estimated number of care workers working in residential, dual registered and nursing homes in the independent and voluntary sector was 285,300, and the number of domiciliary care workers was 111,600.
	Data collected by the Department in respect to local authority headcount indicates 110,985 staff at 30 September 2003 employed as care staff in day centres, residential establishments and specialist needs establishments and in domiciliary care.
	Workforce data collected by both the employers' organisation and the Department includes broad ethnic group broad ethnic groups, but nothing to identify those from Eastern Europe, the Philippines or even the United Kingdom.

Dementia

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ensure that guidance is issued on the uniform prescribing of anti-dementia drugs; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has produced guidance on the use of drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and will be producing new guidance on pharmaceutical treatments for non-Alzheimer dementias by May 2005.
	NICE is also developing a comprehensive guideline on all aspects of the management of dementia in older people. This guideline is currently planned for release in February 2007. This will bring together and build on the drug appraisals referred to above.

Dental Care

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental suites there will be in the Yarnspinners Wharf Medical Centre in Nelson; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The dental action plan for the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Primary Care Trust indicates that there will be four dental suites within the Yarnspinners Wharf local investment finance trust development in Nelson. This forms part of the new health centre development that will replace the current Nelson Health Centre in 2004–05.

Eye Test Charges

Keith Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residents in Manchester, Withington aged over 60 years have benefited from the abolition of charges for eye tests.

Melanie Johnson: Data for the number of sight tests by constituency or by the number of senior citizens is not collected centrally.
	The total number of national health service sight tests paid for by the Greater Manchester strategic health authority in 2002–03 for patients in the aged 60 and over category was 189,900. The total number eligible for a free sight test for those aged 60 and over was 493,100. Sight tests cannot be equated to the numbers of patients.

Fluoridation

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated costs are of the capital works which would be necessary to fluoridate domestic water supplies in the West Yorkshire strategic health authority area; and what the annual revenue costs are estimated to be.

Melanie Johnson: The University of York health economic consortium conducted a study in 1998 in "Water Fluoridation—An Economic Perspective". Applying the figures in this study to a population the size of West Yorkshire strategic health authority, the initial capital cost would be around £3 million. Figures from the water industry suggest that recurring revenue costs would be approximately 80 pence per head of population. Research indicates that the fluoridation of water is capable of increasing the number of children without tooth decay by 15 per cent.

Free Fruit

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when (a) Broughton, (b) Stockbridge, (c) Wallop, (d) Wherwell and (e) Barton Stacey schools will have access to the free fruit in school scheme.

Melanie Johnson: Schools in Broughton, Stockbridge, Wallop, Wherwell and Barton Stacey that have joined the school fruit and vegetable scheme will have received their first delivery of fruit and/or vegetables on either 2 or 3 November. The first consumption date for children in those schools will have been either 3 or 4 November.
	Roll out of the school fruit and vegetable scheme is currently being staggered to eligible schools in the four remaining regions, including the South East.

GP Services

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on out-of-hours services for general practitioners in North Yorkshire;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the extent of the use of locum doctors for out-of-hours general practitioner services in North Yorkshire.

Melanie Johnson: The four primary care trusts have contracted with North Yorkshire Emergency Doctors for the provision of out-of-hours general practitioner services. North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire Strategic Health Authority estimates that around 20 per cent. of this service is currently provided by locum doctors.

Health and Social Care

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support will be given to an individual to enable them to express their wishes when an assessment of individual capacity is carried out by health and social care professionals.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 1 November 2004
	The Mental Capacity Bill starts from the assumption that a person has capacity unless it is established that he or she lacks it. It includes an obligation in the principles set out in clause 1 to take "all practicable steps" to help the person make his or her own decision. This will include the provision of communication and other forms of support to make sure that the person is not too readily regarded as lacking capacity and enabling them to express their wishes.
	The code of practice will provide detail about the types of communication support, which should be made available when health and social care professionals make an assessment of capacity. This includes taking time to be with someone to explain the decision in a way that the person can understand, the provision of electronic and other technical aids and language experts, where appropriate.
	We have issued guidance to local authorities to explain the importance of involving independent advocates when appropriate in assessments of need and the Code of Practice emphasises this as well.

Health Protection Agency

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the administration costs were of the Health Protection Agency in the last year for which figures are available; and how many staff it employed.

Melanie Johnson: The administration costs for the Health Protection Agency (HPA) for the year ended 31 March 2004 were £7.9 million. These costs were incurred for the key central activities of human resources, finance, audit and corporate affairs.
	The HPA employed 2,518 whole-time equivalent (wte) staff during 2003–04. In addition, over the same time period, a further 200 wte staff were employed on agency, secondment or similar arrangements.

Hospital Infections

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in each (a) hospital and (b) trust in England have contracted methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus in the NHS since 1997.

Melanie Johnson: Information by individual named trust is only available from 2001, when we introduced mandatory surveillance for methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) blood stream infections. The data is available on the Department's website at http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/08/58/93/04085893.pdf.
	Copies have been placed in the Library.
	Information by individual hospital is not available.

Leukaemia

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to publish the report on research by the Childhood Cancer Research Group at Oxford University into possible links between power lines and childhood leukaemia.

Melanie Johnson: A report by the Childhood Cancer Research Group at Oxford University into possible links between power lines and childhood leukaemia is being submitted to the Department this week. At the same time, the report will be sent to a scientific journal for publication. In accordance with the usual practice, publication will follow the appropriate peer review process. This is expected to take a few weeks.

Leukaemia

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on research conducted by his Department on possible links between high voltage power lines and incidence of leukaemia in children under 15-years-old.

Melanie Johnson: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend, the Member for Northampton North (Ms Keeble) today.

Nappies

David Curry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the environmental (a) benefits and (b) disbenefit of the use of (i) disposable and (ii) re-usable nappies in NHS hospitals.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 8 November 2004
	Issues relating to the environmental impact of the use of disposable or re-usable nappies are a matter for the Department for Environment and Rural Affairs.
	The use of disposable or re-usable nappies in the national health service is a matter for individual maternity units and trusts to determine locally.

Nappies

David Curry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued to NHS Trusts on the use of disposable nappies in maternity units.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 8 November 2004
	The use of disposable or re-usable nappies in the national health service is a matter for individual maternity units and trusts to determine locally.

Neck Surgery

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether patients awaiting neck surgery will be affected by the investigation by the NHS Counter Fraud Service into the Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust as a result of the appointment of the head of neck surgery as the acting chief executive.

Melanie Johnson: Shropshire and Staffordshire Strategic Health Authority reports that patients waiting for head and neck surgery or consultation at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital National Health Service Trust will not be affected by the appointment of Mr. Andrew Prichard as acting chief executive.

NHS Bureaucracy

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many forms that are included in central returns of information and statistics to (a) his Department and (b) his Department's arm's length bodies are required from NHS organisations in each year.

Melanie Johnson: Information on the number of forms included in central returns is not available centrally for the Department or its arm's length bodies. The overall number of central returns and changes to the burden these impose on the national health service is strictly controlled.
	At the end of 2003–04 there were 127 ongoing central returns, and this number will be reduced by at least 20 per cent., by the end of 2004–05.

NHS Dentists

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS dentists operate in West Oxfordshire; and how many were operating in West Oxfordshire in (a) 1997 and (b) 2001.

Rosie Winterton: The numbers of general (GDS) and personal dental service (PDS) dentists in the South West Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) area at 30 September 1997, 2001 and 2004 are shown in the table.
	
		Number of GDS and PDS dentists at September each year
		
			  South West Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust 
		
		
			 1997 69 
			 2001 92 
			 2004 95 
		
	
	Source:
	Dental Practice Board
	Dentists have been included in the South West Oxfordshire PCT area on the basis of their practice postcodes.

North Cheshire Hospitals Trust

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answers of 26 October 2004, Official Report, column 1202W, to questions 193629, 193630 and 193631, on the North Cheshire hospitals trust, if he will provide the information for the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Melanie Johnson: The Information for 2003–04 is not yet available. However, the latest available data for the numbers of people who have received treatment for diabetes, coronary heart disease and stroke is shown in the following table.
	
		Primary diagnosis—selected groups of diagnoses—counts of finished admission episodes for North Cheshire hospital trust (organisation code RWW). NHS hospitals, England 2002–03
		
			 Primary diagnosis Finished admission episodes 
		
		
			 Type I diabetes 241 
			 Type II diabetes 329 
			 Coronary heart disease 1,148 
			 Stroke 424 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.
	2. The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (seven prior to 2002–03) diagnosis fields in the hospital episode statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital.
	3. Definition of selected group of diagnoses:
	Type I diabetes: 3 character primary diagnosis code = E10 or 4 character primary diagnosis code = 0240.
	Type II diabetes: 3 character primary diagnosis code = E11 or 4 character primary diagnosis code = 0241.
	Coronary heart disease: 3 character primary diagnosis code between 120 to 125.
	Stroke: 3 character primary diagnosis code between 160 to 164
	4. Figures have not (yet) been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).
	Source:
	HES, Department of Health.

North Cheshire Hospitals Trust

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answers of 26 October 2004, Official Report, column 1202W, to questions 193632 and 193645, on NHS services in Warrington and North Cheshire, if he will (a) obtain the information and (b) publish it.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested on the number of people suffering from chronic pain is not available. It is not possible to determine which patients are suffering from this condition using diagnosis codes.
	The number of people receiving support from a national health service dietician in Warrington is not held by the Department and can be obtained from the Warrington primary care trust.

Nurses' Pay

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average full-time equivalent gross pay of nurses in North Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Trust was in each year since 1997 (a) across all grades and (b) at each grade.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Pylons

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department will publish the report on the health effects of electricity pylons.

Melanie Johnson: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Northampton, North (Ms Keeble) today.

Pylons

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the Prime Minister on the health effects of electricity pylons.

Melanie Johnson: None.

Pylons

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research he has evaluated on the health effects of electricity pylons.

Melanie Johnson: At the request of the Department, the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) has recently undertaken a comprehensive research evaluation of the health effects of electromagnetic fields (EMF) to support its most recent advice on limiting EMF exposure. This advice was published in March 2004 in the series, "Documents of the NRPB" (Volume 15, No. 2, 2004). NRPB information on extremely low frequency fields (ELF) such as those from power lines was principally drawn from a report on "ELF Electromagnetic Fields and the Risk of Cancer" (2001) by the NRPB's independent advisory group on non-ionising radiation.
	In providing advice on EMF, the NRPB continually monitors world-wide research and works closely with the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection and the World Health Organization

Renal Dialysis

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients from Warrington are travelling outside the local area for renal dialysis.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is not held centrally.

Sexual Health

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the report by the Independent Advisory Group for Sexual Health and HIV on training general practitioners to perform medical and surgical terminations.

Melanie Johnson: The Department is considering all of the recommendations contained in the annual report for 2003–04 of the Independent Advisory Group for Sexual Health and HIV and will be publishing a response in due course.

Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  which hospitals will be affected by the NHS Counter-Fraud Service inquiry into the Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust;
	(2)  if he will ensure that any financial shortfall discovered by the NHS Counter Fraud Service inquiry into the Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust arising from financial misconduct or other irregularities will be made good from public funds;
	(3)  whether the findings of the inquiry by the NHS Counter Fraud Service into the Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust will be made public;
	(4)  when the inquiry by the NHS Counter Fraud Service into the Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust will report.

Melanie Johnson: Shrewsbury and Telford hospital national health service trust covers the Royal Shrewsbury hospital, Shrewsbury and the Princess Royal hospital, Telford. Both hospitals will be involved in the investigation which is in the hands of the NHS Counter Fraud Service. Any further action will depend on the outcome of the investigation. When the investigation is concluded, and subject to legal advice, it is the trust's intention to make the findings public.

Smallpox Vaccine

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full, undiluted, tons of the smallpox vaccine his Department holds.

Melanie Johnson: Quantities of smallpox vaccine are given in doses rather than tonnage. The United Kingdom Government currently has over 40 million doses of undiluted smallpox vaccine. The National Institute for Biological Standards and Control has tested the potency and stability of the vaccine, supplied from several sources, and has certified it as being suitable for use in the event of a smallpox emergency.

Transport

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what funding has been allocated to the provision of transport to health care facilities in North Yorkshire in (a) 2004–05 and (b) 2005–06;
	(2)  what plans he has to secure funding additional to that already allocated for improvements to transport links to health care facilities in North Yorkshire.

Melanie Johnson: Funding for the provision of transport to health care facilities is included in the baseline allocation to primary care trusts (PCTs). In the financial year 2004–05, the four PCTs that cover North Yorkshire received baseline allocations totalling £668.6 million.

Waiting Lists/Times

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the change in waiting lists for hospitals covering the constituency of Bolsover has been since 1997.

Stephen Ladyman: Information relating to those national health service trusts most likely to cover the Bolsover constituency is shown in the following table.
	
		Patients waiting for elective in-patient admission: position at month-end (March)
		
			 Trust 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2004(8) 
		
		
			 Nottingham City Hospital 6,081 5,937 4,804 4,596 4,481 5,517 5,252 4,208 4,005 
			 Queens Medical Centre. 12,779 11,892 10,313 9,728 8,674 9,327 9,149 6,327 5,775 
			 Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Royal Hospital 7,715 8,311 7,163 5,972 5,274 4,852 4,686 3,530 3,679 
			 King's Mill Centre for Health Care Services 5,111 5,991 5,013 4,792 4,749 5,374 4,962 5,196 4,978 
			 Southern Derbyshire Acute — — 11,319 10,565 10,461 10,428 9,636 7,742 7,045 
		
	
	(8) As at August 2004
	Source: Department of Health form KH07 and monthly monitoring.

Waiting Lists/Times

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many in-patients in the primary care trust covering the Sedgefield constituency had to wait more than (a) three, (b) six, (c) nine and (d) 12 months for treatment in each year since 1997; and what the percentage change was in each case;
	(2)  what changes there have been to NHS waiting list times for residents of the Sedgefield constituency in the past seven years.

Melanie Johnson: Information is not gathered on a constituency basis. The table shows the requested information for the Sedgefield Primary Care Trust and its predecessor body.
	
		Patients waiting for elective in-patient admission: position at month-end
		
			Patients waiting over: 
			 Month end Health authority (HA) or primary care trust (PCT) Total patients waiting 3 months 6 months 9 months 12 months 
		
		
			 March 1997 County Durham and Darlington HA 12,501 5,625 2,443 733 0 
			 March 1998 County Durham and Darlington HA 12,925 6,019 2,748 872 26 
			 March 1999 County Durham and Darlington HA 11,474 4,979 2,226 704 10 
			 March 2000 County Durham and Darlington HA 11,656 5,219 2,292 719 48 
			 March 2001 County Durham and Darlington HA 11,083 4,432 1,852 551 23 
			 March 2002 County Durham and Darlington HA 12,049 5,632 2,580 832 1 
			 March 2003 Sedgefield PCT 1,386 579 209 54 0 
			 March 2004 Sedgefield PCT 1,287 431 103 0 0 
			 August 2004 Sedgefield PCT 1,245 426 126 0 0 
		
	
	
		Percentage change on previous period
		
			   Patients waiting over: 
			 Month end Health authority (HA) or primary care trust (PCT) 3 months 6 months 9 months 12 months 
		
		
			 March 1997 County Durham and Darlington HA — — — — 
			 March 1998 County Durham and Darlington HA 7.0 12.5 19.0 — 
			 March 1999 County Durham and Darlington HA -17.3 -19.0 -19.3 -61.5 
			 March 2000 County Durham and Darlington HA 4.8 3.0 2.1 380.0 
			 March 2001 County Durham and Darlington HA -15.1 -19.2 -23.4 -52.1 
			 March 2002 County Durham and Darlington HA 27.1 39.3 51.0 -95.7 
			 March 2003 Sedgefield PCT — — — — 
			 March 2004 Sedgefield PCT -25.6% -50.7 -100.0 — 
			 August 2004 Sedgefield PCT -1.2% 22.3 — — 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health form QF01 and monthly monitoring.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Airport Police

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost of policing independently owned airports in the UK was in the last year for which figures are available; and what contribution to this cost was made by airport owners.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 15 October 2004
	The majority of airports in the UK are independently owned. Some groups own a number of airports, such as BAA (which owns Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Southampton) and Manchester Airports Group plc (which owns Manchester, Nottingham, East Midlands, Bournemouth and Humberside.) Only a few airports are owned by the local authority, such as City of Derry airport.
	The policing of airports is a matter for the Chief Constable of each force who is advised by the National Co-ordinator of Ports Policing. Uniform policing arrangements are made on a territorial basis as the circumstances of each airport dictate.
	Funding has been made available to the police service in England and Wales to enable them to respond to the current threat from international terrorism and which includes funding for policing at non-designated airports. For security reasons we would not wish to comment on the level of funding allocated to individual police forces for specific reasons.
	Under the Aviation Security Act 1982, for those airports which are "designated", the airport and the police agree between them the relevant contribution to the costs of policing. Sir John Wheeler's report on Aviation Security recommended a review of the arrangements by which airports are "designated" for uniform policing purposes. A working group has been established and is taking this forward.

Antisocial Behaviour

Harold Best: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the alcohol industry on financial contributions the industry may make towards the costs of policing alcohol-related antisocial behaviour.

Hazel Blears: We are working with the industry to draw up a social responsibility scheme and a code of practice. The scheme will be voluntary, but will include a financial contribution from retailers, where necessary, towards managing the local crime and disorder consequences of alcohol misuse.

Antisocial Behaviour

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders have been issued in North Somerset since their introduction.

Hazel Blears: Antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) have been available to the courts since 1 April 1999. The number of notifications received by the Home office of ASBOs issued, up to 30 June 2004 (latest available), where the restrictions imposed are specific to North Somerset council, is four.

Asylum Seekers

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to visit other countries to assess their immigration and asylum procedures.

Des Browne: Formal discussion of immigration and asylum procedures takes place in a number of fora at both EU and international level. Myself and other Ministers also undertake bilateral visits to meet our counterparts in other countries, which provides opportunities to assess their immigration and asylum procedures.
	For example, along with other Ministers, I will be visiting other EU member states in the run up to the UK presidency, primarily in order to promote the justice and home affairs agenda. This will be combined with my usual ministerial duties and will give me an opportunity to assess the immigration and asylum procedures in the states which I visit. As part of this programme I have recently visited Hungary and the Czech Republic.
	The UK also maintains strong co-operation with the Governments of our key cross-channel partners on immigration and asylum issues. The Home Secretary leads on these contacts and meets with his counterparts when possible. He will be meeting with his French counterpart in mid-November.
	In terms of visits further afield, at the end of October I visited China and Vietnam as part of the UK's continuing engagement with the Chinese and Vietnamese Governments on asylum and immigration issues. China remains the source of a significant number of asylum applications and illegal entrants. During my visit I discussed with Chinese Ministers and senior officials how the number of unfounded applications can be reduced and how the UK and China can work together to dismantle the criminal gangs responsible for facilitating illegal entry to the UK. We also considered how we can improve the system for returning those who have no leave to remain in the UK. Asylum applications from Vietnam have shown year-on-year increases from 2001 to 2003, and we are working closely with the Vietnamese Government to address this. My trip included a day in Vietnam where I was able to discuss this further with Ministers and officials. While in Hanoi, I also signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the UK and Vietnam on migration issues which will facilitate the return to Vietnam of Vietnamese citizens residing illegally in the UK and also sets out a framework for future co-operation on migration.

Asylum Seekers

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the principal countries of origin were of (a) legal and (b) illegal immigrants to the UK in each of the last 25 years.

Des Browne: Statistics on the number of persons granted indefinite leave to remain (settlement) in the UK are shown in the table.
	Prior to 1991 data is shown in five-year intervals, as it would incur disproportionate cost to produce the requested information from manual records.
	There is no information available on the country of origin of illegal migrants. Illegal migrants are motivated to remain hidden, so by definition they fall outside official statistics and therefore it is difficult to obtain information about them.
	In the light of this, information on those illegal migrants who are detected by the Immigration Service would not necessarily reflect the principal countries of origin.
	
		Grants of settlement by nationality, including EEA nations, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991–2002
		
			 Geographical region and nationality 1976 1981 1986 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 
		
		
			 All nationalities 
			 Europe(12) 
			 Austria 140 110 80 120 110 90 50 10 
			 Belgium n/a 70 110 50 30 10 20 10 
			 Denmark n/a 150 140 100 70 50 30 10 
			 Finland 140 120 110 130 130 140 50 10 
			 France n/a 440 490 250 180 100 60 30 
			 Germany 10 520 550 280 180 100 50 40 
			 Greece 430 220 230 40 40 40 20 10 
			 Iceland n/a n/a n/a n/a 20 20 10 (10)— 
			 Ireland n/a n/a n/a n/a — — — — 
			 Italy n/a 660 400 170 120 90 50 20 
			 Luxembourg n/a (9)— (9)— — — — (10)— — 
			 Netherlands n/a 250 410 170 100 80 40 20 
			 Norway 200 190 170 220 210 220 80 10 
			 Portugal 1,170 640 210 150 100 40 30 20 
			 Spain 1,970 590 360 210 110 10 (10)— (10)— 
			 Sweden 280 260 350 520 360 430 120 20 
			 Total EC 1,630 (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— 
			 Europe(13) 5,970 4,220 3,610 2,410 1,750 1,430 620 220 
			 Remainder of Europe 
			 Bulgaria n/a 10 20 60 90 80 100 150 
			 Cyprus 1,510 580 370 320 250 220 190 220  
			 Former Czechoslovakia 30 20 20 60 50 70 100 190 
			 Of which: 
			 Czech Republic n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Slovakia n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			  
			 Hungary 50 40 40 90 100 110 100 130 
			 Malta 140 190 160 80 90 70 60 80 
			 Poland 660 620 250 700 610 560 490 580 
			 Romania 30 10 20 60 70 100 120 190 
			 Switzerland 250 170 160 180 180 160 140 150 
			 Turkey 510 570 420 1,050 800 1,420 1,840 1,170 
			  
			 Former USSR 40 40 40 140 270 340 400 610 
			 Of which: 
			 Estonia n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Latvia n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Lithuania n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Russia n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Ukraine n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Other former USSR n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			  
			 Former Yugoslavia 260 120 130 390 380 470 460 550 
			 Of which: 
			 Croatia n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Slovenia n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Serbia and Montenegro n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Other former Yugoslavia n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			  
			 Other Europe n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 10 20 
			 Remainder of Europe 3,480 2,370 1,630 3,130 2,890 3,600 4,010 4,030 
			 Europe 9,450 6,580 5,240 5,530 4,650 5,020 4,620 4,250 
			  
			 Americas 
			 Argentina 80 90 50 50 70 40 80 60 
			 Barbados 230 80 40 60 60 80 70 70 
			 Brazil 80 120 160 260 320 340 300 330 
			 Canada 1,000 880 1,220 680 790 760 810 940 
			 Chile 60 250 40 60 70 80 50 40 
			 Colombia 130 310 140 270 230 320 270 280 
			 Cuba 10 — — (9)— n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Guyana 380 220 140 190 180 170 210 190 
			 Jamaica 1,100 440 490 1,310 1,250 1,270 1,280 1,400 
			 Mexico 80 60 60 90 90 90 60 90 
			 Peru 40 40 50 100 70 100 100 100 
			 Trinidad and Tobago 590 150 160 210 230 270 380 360 
			 USA 3,500 3,510 3,790 3,910 3,850 4,060 3,990 3,960 
			 Uruguay n/a 10 (9)— 10 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Venezuela 40 70 40 30 40 50 40 40 
			 West Indies Associated States 400 90 (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— 
			 Other Americas n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 270 310 
			 Americas 7,720 6,330 6,380 7,220 7,250 7,640 7,890 8,180 
			  
			 Africa 
			 Algeria 80 120 60 240 240 330 400 440 
			 Angola n/a n/a n/a n/a 10 30 30 40 
			 Congo (Dem. Rep.)(14) n/a n/a n/a n/a 10 90 70 120 
			 Egypt 500 400 260 380 340 300 300 270 
			 Ethiopia n/a 30 50 70 130 540 310 170 
			 Ghana 690 340 520 1,480 1,340 1,350 1,620 1,820 
			 Kenya 1,540 430 350 480 450 470 550 530 
			 Libya n/a 100 130 100 120 100 120 70 
			 Mauritius 1,360 510 270 310 290 280 340 390 
			 Morocco 240 200 140 790 770 700 510 430 
			 Nigeria 770 250 570 2,870 2,550 2,750 3,090 3,260 
			 Sierra Leone 140 50 90 290 270 290 420 440 
			 Somalia n/a 40 70 510 690 1,530 1,380 760 
			 South Africa 1,200 850 780 1,050 890 1,100 1,260 1,300 
			 Sudan n/a 60 50 100 160 190 140 150 
			 Tanzania 1,030 280 250 260 200 210 200 250 
			 Tunisia 50 50 50 120 70 80 100 80 
			 Uganda 170 40 90 110 120 220 230 440 
			 Zambia 600 80 120 170 120 150 150 190 
			 Zimbabwe 240 220 280 240 220 200 270 330 
			 Other Africa n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 380 490 
			 Africa 8,610 4,060 4,130 9,580 9,000 10,900 11,880 12,000 
			  
			 Asia 
			 Indian sub-continent 
			 Bangladesh 3,980 5,810 4,760 2,780 2,520 2,550 3,050 3,280 
			 India 11,020 6,590 4,210 5,680 5,500 4,890 4,780 4,860 
			 Pakistan 11,700 8,970 5,580 5,820 7,060 6,650 6,240 6,310 
			 Indian sub-continent 26,700 21,370 14,550 14,290 15,070 14,090 14,070 14,450 
			  
			 Middle East 
			 Iran 490 1,380 1,770 1,170 1,060 1,070 990 1,120 
			 Iraq 280 330 460 580 540 610 570 540 
			 Israel 330 330 340 430 380 330 250 290 
			 Jordan n/a 120 140 180 160 130 160 150 
			 Kuwait n/a n/a 10 40 20 20 10 30 
			 Lebanon n/a 270 190 330 240 300 280 400 
			 Saudi Arabia n/a 20 40 40 40 30 60 40 
			 Syria n/a 90 80 120 120 100 70 100 
			 Yemen n/a n/a n/a n/a 140 210 190 160 
			 Other Middle East n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 40 60 
			 Middle East 1,100 2,560 3,030 2,900 2,710 2,800 2,620 2,880 
			  
			 Remainder of Asia 
			 China 40 160 100 390 440 640 960 1,130 
			 Hong Kong 1,930 1,450 880 1,890 1,590 1,520 1,490 1,310 
			 Indonesia 40 50 60 80 60 90 100 100 
			 Japan 470 900 1,060 1,970 1,970 1,810 2,060 1,870 
			 Malaysia 2,080 660 580 690 630 650 640 660 
			 Philippines 1,310 1,760 990 1,190 1,130 1,200 920 1,090 
			 Singapore 260 120 110 190 150 180 140 170 
			 South Korea n/a n/a n/a n/a 170 240 280 260 
			 Sri Lanka 700 790 840 660 1,000 1,940 1,860 1,370 
			 Taiwan n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a (10)— 20 40 
			 Thailand n/a 220 410 660 650 650 540 520 
			 Other Asia n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 220 270 
			 Remainder of Asia(15) 6,830 6,120 5,030 7,720 7,790 8,920 9,210 8,790 
			 Asia 34,630 30,050 22,610 24,920 25,570 25,830 25,900 26,120 
			  
			 Oceania 
			 Australia 3,390 2,440 2,870 1,450 1,480 1,680 1,740 2,020 
			 New Zealand 1,580 2,060 2,510 990 840 970 1,080 1,390 
			 Other Oceania n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 40 40 
			 Oceania 4,970 4,500 5,380 2,440 2,340 2,650 2,850 6,450 
			 UK Passport holders 11,660 (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— 
			 All other territories 820 (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— 
			 British Overseas citizens n/a 2,780 1,680 1,350 1,190 820 710 690 
			 Stateless(16) 1,600 3,890 1,550 1,430 1,490 1,570 1,170 780 
			 Other nationalities (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— 
			 Other countries not elsewhere specified 1,310 870 750 1,440 1,090 1,210 (11)— (11)— 
			 All nationalities 80,740 59,060 47,820 53,900 52,570 55,640 55,010 55,480 
		
	
	
		
			 Geographical region and nationality 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 9, 102003 
		
		
			 All nationalities 
			 Europe(12) 
			 Austria (10)— (9)— — n/a n/a n/a 25 n/a 
			 Belgium (10)— (9)— (9)— n/a n/a n/a 35 n/a 
			 Denmark 10 5 10 n/a n/a n/a 40 n/a 
			 Finland (10)— (9)— 5 n/a n/a n/a 10 n/a 
			 France 30 10 25 n/a n/a n/a 335 n/a 
			 Germany 10 10 25 n/a n/a n/a 265 n/a 
			 Greece 10 5 15 n/a n/a n/a 170 n/a 
			 Iceland (10)— (9)— — n/a n/a n/a (9)— n/a 
			 Ireland — — — n/a n/a n/a 105 n/a 
			 Italy 20 10 25 n/a n/a n/a 305 n/a 
			 Luxembourg — — — n/a n/a n/a (9)— n/a 
			 Netherlands 10 15 25 n/a n/a n/a 125 n/a 
			 Norway 10 5 (9)— n/a n/a n/a 40 n/a 
			 Portugal 20 25 115 n/a n/a n/a 565 n/a 
			 Spain (10)— 10 15 n/a n/a n/a 175 n/a 
			 Sweden 10 10 (9)— n/a n/a n/a 90 n/a 
			 Total EC (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— 
			 Europe(13) 120 105 270 n/a n/a n/a 2,285 n/a 
			 Remainder of Europe 
			 Bulgaria 200 165 185 275 295 310 365 n/a 
			 Cyprus 240 240 275 425 515 260 270 n/a 
			  
			 Former Czechoslovakia 290 285 405 505 760 920 875 n/a 
			 Of which 
			 Czech Republic n/a n/a 245 270 415 490 495 n/a 
			 Slovakia n/a n/a 160 230 345 430 380 n/a 
			  
			 Hungary 200 175 185 190 250 215 270 n/a 
			 Malta 80 55 70 60 75 95 80 n/a 
			 Poland 640 565 580 615 830 945 875 n/a 
			 Romania 270 220 240 290 310 360 390 n/a 
			 Switzerland 210 200 255 220 220 220 145 n/a 
			 Turkey 3,720 4,235 2,360 5,225 5,220 3,310 2,920 n/a 
			  
			 Former USSR 820 870 1,185 1,395 2,095 2,025 2,535 n/a 
			 Of which 
			 Estonia n/a n/a 15 25 25 40 50 n/a 
			 Latvia n/a n/a 45 35 60 70 75 n/a 
			 Lithuania n/a n/a 50 110 150 135 170 n/a 
			 Russia n/a n/a 855 870 1,185 1,025 1,365 n/a 
			 Ukraine n/a n/a 140 200 385 405 460 n/a 
			 Other former USSR n/a n/a 80 160 300 340 415 n/a 
			  
			 Former Yugoslavia 680 595 1,505 6,650 4,450 5,080 2,830 n/a 
			 Of which 
			 Croatia n/a n/a 185 315 660 710 310 n/a 
			 Slovenia n/a n/a 10 20 20 10 25 n/a 
			 Serbia & Montenegro n/a n/a 870 5,760 2,640 2,785 1,540 n/a 
			 Other former Yugoslavia n/a n/a 440 550 1,130 1,575 955 n/a 
			  
			 Other Europe 20 30 55 130 135 255 190 n/a 
			 Remainder of Europe 7,370 7,640 7,305 15,980 15,155 13,990 11,740 15,300 
			 Europe 7,500 7745 7,575 15,980 15,165 13,990 14,030 n/a 
			  
			 Americas 
			 Argentina 50 50 60 60 80 120 120 n/a 
			 Barbados 80 55 100 65 95 115 100 n/a 
			 Brazil 390 330 350 405 460 575 510 n/a 
			 Canada 970 980 1,050 1,010 1,325 1,320 1,300 n/a 
			 Chile 60 70 50 55 80 75 100 n/a 
			 Colombia 270 240 365 650 820 785 805 n/a 
			 Cuba n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Guyana 200 175 185 135 200 210 190 n/a 
			 Jamaica 1,420 1,030 1,120 1,060 2,095 2,855 2,675 n/a 
			 Mexico 110 125 120 90 125 130 160 n/a 
			 Peru 80 110 105 140 160 150 155 n/a 
			 Trinidad and Tobago 340 280 320 280 490 365 410 n/a 
			 USA 4,030 3,905 3,945 3,760 4,585 4,385 4,355 n/a 
			 Uruguay n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Venezuela 50 45 65 65 80 85 80 n/a 
			 West Indies Associated States (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— 
			 Other Americas 430 395 2,945 750 945 810 720 n/a 
			 Americas 8,470 7,790 10,785 8,515 11,550 11,975 11,680 16,635 
			  
			 Africa 
			 Algeria 400 370 710 1,130 1,015 775 855 n/a 
			 Angola 30 60 95 520 320 280 660 n/a 
			 Congo (Dem. Rep.)(14) 90 90 120 2,575 935 800 1,260 n/a 
			 Egypt 330 330 360 385 485 420 500 n/a 
			 Ethiopia 140 205 190 2,165 2,745 475 345 n/a 
			 Ghana 1,970 1,285 1,550 3,475 3,140 2,440 2,585 n/a 
			 Kenya 590 495 535 760 1,135 1,025 1,056 n/a 
			 Libya 110 120 165 160 375 370 445 n/a 
			 Mauritius 460 380 450 460 675 375 455 n/a 
			 Morocco 460 405 425 430 590 575 520 n/a 
			 Nigeria 3,220 2,535 2,955 3,185 6,525 5,045 5,325 n/a 
			 Sierra Leone 570 485 545 1,060 1,075 875 855 n/a 
			 Somalia 680 985 2,945 3,180 12,495 8,405 10,000 n/a 
			 South Africa 1,040 1,290 2,260 2,955 4,300 4,755 6,135 n/a 
			 Sudan 360 2,180 465 545 1,555 655 560 n/a 
			 Tanzania 220 155 220 235 430 310 290 n/a 
			 Tunisia 90 75 115 160 125 190 160 n/a 
			 Uganda 1,040 695 500 1,400 3,445 755 745 n/a 
			 Zambia 220 180 205 235 440 345 330 n/a 
			 Zimbabwe 360 345 405 435 955 1,040 3,530 n/a 
			 Other Africa 600 550 870 1,570 2,090 2,015 2,550 n/a 
			 Africa 12,970 13,205 16,090 27,025 44,845 31,925 39,165 44,565 
			  
			 Asia 
			 Indian sub-continent 
			 Bangladesh 2,720 2,870 3,635 3,285 3,685 4,050 4,725 n/a 
			 India 4,620 4,645 5,430 6,295 8,050 7,320 8,005 n/a 
			 Pakistan 6,250 5,565 7,355 11,865 11,105 11,645 11,935 n/a 
			 Indian sub-continent 13,590 13,085 16,420 21,440 22,840 23,020 24,665 29,995 
			  
			 Middle East 
			 Iran 1,720 1,060 930 1,560 1,985 1,560 1,715 n/a 
			 Iraq 1,580 1,615 1,650 2,210 2,780 1,715 1,955 n/a 
			 Israel 290 275 305 260 365 320 375 n/a 
			 Jordan 120 150 130 145 255 175 170 n/a 
			 Kuwait 20 40 55 60 60 30 65 n/a 
			 Lebanon 660 635 595 760 990 265 385 n/a 
			 Saudi Arabia 40 30 45 55 50 45 40 n/a 
			 Syria 110 120 115 140 245 195 170 n/a 
			 Yemen 180 150 225 260 295 380 300 n/a 
			 Other Middle East 70 85 125 145 205 140 190 n/a 
			 Middle East 4,790 4,160 4,175 5,590 7,230 4,830 5,345 n/a 
			  
			 Remainder of Asia 
			 China 1,180 1,225 1,545 1,525 1,710 1,515 1,705 n/a 
			 Hong Kong 1,240 895 810 485 795 605 460 n/a 
			 Indonesia 90 90 115 200 210 205 225 n/a 
			 Japan 1,780 1,760 1,885 1,590 1,720 1,695 1,785 n/a 
			 Malaysia 610 505 545 510 780 710 745 n/a 
			 Philippines 1,030 890 950 1,190 1,915 1,355 1,505 n/a 
			 Singapore 150 160 125 170 230 225 220 n/a 
			 South Korea 270 220 275 305 485 480 485 n/a 
			 Sri Lanka 2,180 1,625 2,105 5,365 7,615 4,240 2,935 n/a 
			 Taiwan 60 85 100 120 175 165 200 n/a 
			 Thailand 550 495 535 830 955 1,260 1,335 n/a 
			 Other Asia 350 420 530 775 1,265 3,840 4,980 n/a 
			 Remainder of Asia(15) 9,500 8,370 9,520 13,060 17,850 16,305 16,575 24,890 
			 Asia 27,880 25,615 30,115 40,090 47,920 44,155 46,585 n/a 
			  
			 Oceania 
			 Australia 2,120 1,915 2,195 2,410 2,925 3,205 3,500 n/a 
			 New Zealand 1,360 1,155 1,440 1,670 1,925 2,185 2,645 n/a 
			 Other Oceania 40 25 50 40 55 60 100 n/a 
			 Oceania 3,520 3,095 3,685 4,120 4,905 5,455 6,250 7,175 
			 UK Passport holders (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— 
			 All other territories (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— 
			 British Overseas citizens 620 540 965 560 635 520 330 n/a 
			 Stateless(16) 780 740 575 815 930 390 215 n/a 
			 Other nationalities (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— 1,120 
			 Other countries not elsewhere specified (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— (11)— 
			 All nationalities 61,730 58,725 69,790 97,115 125,945 108,410 118,255 139,675 
		
	
	n/a = Not available.
	— = Nil
	(9) Negligible (i.e. two or less).
	(10) Five or fewer.
	(11) Not applicable.
	(12) 1976 data for Germany is for East Germany only. Greece joined the EC on 1 January 1981. Portugal and Spain entered the EC in 1986.
	(13) Includes Liechtenstein.
	(14) The Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly known as Zaire.
	(15) Data for 2003 includes Middle East.
	(16) Includes refugees from South East Asia.(10) Data for 2003 is provisional.
	(17) Does not include EEA nationals.
	(18) 0 Data for 2003 is provisional.

Asylum Seekers

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with his French counterparts on limiting illegal immigration to this country.

Des Browne: The French and UK Governments have a long-standing working relationship on immigration matters, working closely together to deal with the problems of illegal immigration from France. Ministers and officials meet frequently in forums such as the biannual Anglo-French Summit and the Cross Channel Commission, and other bilateral meetings. The UK and France also maintain regular contact between staff and exchange intelligence at an operational level.
	Following a number of constructive meetings in the summer and autumn of 2002, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and the French Interior Minister agreed a substantial package of measures, including the closure of the Sangatte Red Cross Centre through which around 67,000 people passed in three years. The centre had served as a magnet for would-be illegal immigrants and a centre for people smugglers. This package of measures has formed the basis for much of the work that is currently ongoing of moving the UK's border controls to France.
	Working in co-operation with French counterparts, the Immigration Service continues to deploy a range of initiatives to deter and detect illegal entry to the UK. These include: the enhancement of the juxtaposed controls established at Calais, Dunkerque, Boulogne, Paris and Lille; the continued deployment of UK personnel detection technology in France; and continued efforts to ensure the closest co-operation between carriers, port authorities and French colleagues. These measures successfully prevented over 9,000 people reaching the UK from France during 2003.

British Crime Survey

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the differences are in the data collected for the British Crime Survey and police recorded crime.

Hazel Blears: The British Crime Survey (BCS) and police recorded crime statistics are complementary series that together provide a better picture of crime than could be obtained from either series alone. Together they ensure that we have available the most comprehensive picture of crime in England and Wales.
	Police statistics provide a good measure of trends in well-reported crimes, are an important indicator of police workload, and can be used for local crime pattern analysis.
	For the crime types it covers, the BCS can provide a better reflection of the true extent of crime because it includes crimes that are not reported to the police. The BCS count also gives a better indication of trends in crime over time because it is unaffected by changes in levels of reporting to the police, and in police recording practices.
	The British Crime Survey (BCS) includes all crimes experienced by adults aged 16 and over living in private households in England and Wales, with the following exceptions:
	Murder (since we cannot interview the victims)
	Corporate crime
	Fraud (although credit card fraud is covered separately).
	By definition, the BCS does not include commercial victimisation nor crimes against under 16's.
	Police recorded crime counts all those offences that are reported to the police and recorded by them in accordance with the Home Office Counting Rules for Recorded Crime and the National Crime Recording Standard. All reports of incidents result in the registration of an incident report by the police. Following that registration, an incident will be recorded as a crime, if, on the balance of probability, the circumstances as reported amount to a crime defined by law and there is no credible evidence to the contrary.

British Transport Police

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many community safety officers (a) are operating and (b) are expected to operate under the auspices of the British Transport police; what their role will be; what funding has been applied for their function; for what purposes; when he expects a decision to be made on the application; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: I have been asked to reply.
	The British Transport police (BTP) are accountable through the BTP Authority to the Secretary of State for Transport. The force is funded by the rail industry and the authority approves its budget. There are currently no community support officers (CSOs) operating under the auspices of the BTP. The authority has approved the recruitment of 151 CSOs and a recruitment process is under way. The role of the CSOs will be to provide a high visibility presence at stations, on trains and on London underground. They will reassure the public and staff; help prevent, deter and disrupt terrorism, crime and disorder; and support BTP officers and allow them to be released to deal with more serious issues when appropriate.

Centrex Action Plan

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the response to Centrex's Action Plan will be published.

Hazel Blears: We are currently considering the Centrex (Central Police Training and Development Authority) Action Plan, produced in response to the recent Her Majesty's Inspection of Constabulary (HMIC) inspection, and are liaising with Centrex and HMIC regarding it. We have no plans to publish a formal response to the Action Plan.

Community Support Officers

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the integration of community support officers into a long-term policing strategy.

Hazel Blears: The primary role of Community Support Officers (CSOs) is to provide a high visibility and reassuring presence in the communities where they patrol.
	CSOs will be a key component of neighbourhood policing teams which will provide a visible, accessible and responsive presence in communities. We will support the roll-out of neighbourhood policing with substantial investment through the new Neighbourhood Policing Fund (NPF) which will deliver 24,000 CSOs by 2008.
	We are also working with stakeholders to develop a minimum set of powers which all CSOs need to play a full part in neighbourhood policing, and to develop role profiles linked to national occupational standards to enable forces to match recruitment, training and development programmes to the work that CSOs perform.

Community Support Officers

Claire Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when funding for community support officers in Watford will end; and what discussions he has had with (a) the police and (b) local authorities on (i) the requirement and (ii) the funding for these officers.

Hazel Blears: We have notified forces that Home Office funding for community support officer (CSO) posts allocated under the three CSO funding rounds since 2002 is available until the end of March 2008.
	Out target is to have 24,000 CSOs in place by 2008. We have allocated £50 million under the first round of the Neighbourhood Policing Fund (NPF) to recruit new CSOs before the end of March 2005 and to support their salary and related costs in 2005–06. Forces will be notified of their allocations shortly. Funding under this round of the NPF will also continue to be available until the end of March 2008.
	Details of further rounds of the NPF will be announced next year. Decisions on funding arrangements for CSOs after 2008 will be made in the context of the next spending review.
	The deployment of CSOs is an operational decision for chief officers.

Crime Victims

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to improve services to victims of crime.

Paul Goggins: The Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill introduces a code of practice, binding on criminal justice agencies, which lists the services they should be delivering to victims. The code will create tangible statutory rights for all victims around the themes of information, advice, support and protection. The Bill will also establish a Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses to champion the interests of victims and witnesses across Government.
	The Bill includes measures to improve the police response to domestic violence by making common assault an arrestable offence; and making breach of a non-molestation order a criminal offence, punishable by up to five years' imprisonment. It will also extend protection to victims by giving courts the power to impose a restraining order where a defendant has been acquitted but the court believes the victim needs protection.
	In April this year, we established a Victims Fund with the announcement of £4 million from the proceeds of crime to be spent on victims of sexual offending over the next two years. Some of this will be used to extend the number and coverage of sexual assault referral centres.
	We also continue to support the voluntary organisation Victim Support in their work with victims and witnesses. Between 1997 and 2004 the Home Office's funding of Victim Support nearly trebled, from £11.7 million to £30 million.
	In addition, we have been working to extend specialist support services for road traffic victims. Pilot projects, subject to independent evaluation, have been established in three areas to test approaches to service provision. Findings from the evaluation will steer future developments on national provision.

Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will amend the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme to enable a child injured by a foster parent with whose family he or she had been placed by a local authority to recover compensation under the scheme.

Paul Goggins: A child in such a case has in fact been eligible for compensation since the scheme rules were changed with effect from 1 October 1979 to admit cases of intra-family violence (where the victim and assailant were living together as members of the same family), which had previously been excluded. Proposals to admit cases involving intra-family violence occurring before the 1 October 1979 rule change have been considered whenever amendments to the scheme have been mooted. However, successive administrations have decided not to change the rule because it would add a large and unacceptable burden to the costs of the scheme.

Dispersal Order Scheme

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the dispersal order scheme at (a) Elm Park, (b) Hornchurch and (c) Upminster Bridge stations.

Caroline Flint: I understand from British Transport Police that the use of dispersal powers under section 30 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 together with other measures has contributed to a visible fall in groups of youths loitering on stations and causing disorder on the eastern end of the District Line, together with a significant reduction in recorded crime.

Drugs

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrestees in (a) Haltemprice and Howden, (b) the East Riding of Yorkshire and (c) the Humberside police authority area tested positive for category A and B drugs in each of the last four quarters for which figures are available.

Caroline Flint: It is not possible to provide figures for the number of individuals testing positive at arrest for Class A or Class B drugs. However, the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 gave the police power to drug test arrestees once they are charged with a trigger offence. Data on the number of individuals testing positive at charge for opiates and/or cocaine and/or crack are available from three drug testing sites in Humberside police force, and are shown in table 1. There is no data available for the areas of Haltemprice, Howden and East Riding of Yorkshire as they are not currently drug testing sites.
	
		Table 1: Drug test results for opiates and/or cocaine/crack at Humberside police force—October 2003 to September 2004
		
			  Number of tests attempted Number of positive tests Proportion of tests that were positive (Percentage) 
		
		
			 October to December 2003 BCU: Kingston upon Hull 446 180 40 
			 January to March 2004 BCU: Kingston upon Hull 579 202 35 
			 April to June 2004 BCU: Kingston upon Hull, North Lincs, North East Lincs 721 205 28 
			 July to September 2004 BCU: Kingston upon Hull, North Lincs, North East Lincs 809 246 30

Drugs

Brian White: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what classification of drugs has taken place in Thames Valley police area during the last 12 months.

Caroline Flint: The number of illegal drugs seized by the Thames Valley police area during the last 12 months is not currently available. The latest data that are available for the Thames Valley police force are for 2002. The information is analysed from the Home Office Drug Seizures Database and relates to all drugs classified under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. The data have been published in the Home Office Statistical Bulletin on Drug Seizure and Offender Statistics 2001 and 2002 (maps 1, 2 and 3 on pages 10, 15 and 19 of the main bulletin and tables A1.1 to A 1.5 of the area tables). The bulletin is available on the RDS website and in the House Library.
	http://uk.sitestat.com/homeoffice/homeoffice/s?rds.hosb0804 pdf&ns_type=pdf&ns_url=%5B
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs04/hosb0804.pdf%5D
	http://uk.sitestat.com/homeoffice/homeoffice/s?rds.hosb0804 areapdf&ns_type=pdf&ns_url=%5B
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs04/hosb0804area.pdf %5D

Fixed Penalty Notices

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fixed penalty notices have been issued under section 72 of the Highways Act 1835, in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) police and (b) local authority area.

Caroline Flint: The regular collection of data on fixed penalties for motoring offences does not identify separately offences peculiar to driving a motor vehicle on a footpath (section 72 of the Highways Act 1835), from other motoring offences of neglect of pedestrian rights. Neither are fixed penalty data collected centrally on the number of pedal cyclists riding on a footpath or obstructions caused by animals (also under section 72 of the Highways Act 1835).
	However, the table shows information collected as part of a special exercise conducted in 2001 on the number of fixed penalties issued by police force area, for specific offences under section 72 of the Highways Act 1835, in 1999 and 2000 only.
	
		Fixed penalty offences: Number of substantive tickets issued, England and Wales, August to December 1999 and January to December 2000 for cycling and driving on the footpath (pavement) offences under section 72 of the Highways Act 1835 by police force area
		
			  Cycling on the footpath (pavement) Driving on the footpath (pavement) 
			 Police force area 1999 2000 1999 2000 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 19 34 16 42 
			 Bedfordshire — — — — 
			 Cambridgeshire n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Cheshire 6 14 2 6 
			 Cleveland 5 5 — — 
			 Cumbria 12 20 4 24 
			 Derbyshire 3 8 3 11 
			 Devon and Cornwall 28 34 4 43 
			 Dorset 7 17 7 1 
			 Durham 7 11 1 1 
			 Essex 76 55 5 7 
			 Gloucestershire 25 47 6 4 
			 Greater Manchester 38 78 (19)n/a (19)n/a 
			 Hampshire 52 52 — 4 
			 Hertfordshire 11 6 3 13 
			 Humberside 19 64 1 14 
			 Kent 48 44 39 92 
			 Lancashire 8 20 41 11 
			 Leicestershire 13 5 2 1 
			 Lincolnshire 15 4 3 2 
			 London, City of 10 3 10 — 
			 Merseyside 18 20 5 7 
			 Metropolitan Police 29 66 8 22 
			 Norfolk (20)8 14 (20)1 3 
			 Northamptonshire 2 7 — — 
			 Northumbria 21 27 9 58 
			 North Yorkshire 18 16 53 191 
			 Nottinghamshire 5 1 2 3 
			 South Yorkshire 11 34 61 111 
			 Staffordshire (20)3 4 (20)— 5 
			 Suffolk 53 30 — — 
			 Surrey 13 1 4 16 
			 Sussex 15 9 — — 
			 Thames Valley 8 6 2 3 
			 Warwickshire 2 3 2 2 
			 West Mercia 36 17 5 6 
			 West Midlands 4 9 1 17 
			 West Yorkshire (21)— 2 (21)2 — 
			 Wiltshire 6 23 1 7 
			 Dyfed-Powys 7 3 1 — 
			 Gwent — 1 1 — 
			 North Wales n/a (22)1 34 (22)1 
			 South Wales 4 6 38 60 
			 Total (42 forces) 665 821 377 788 
		
	
	n/a = Not available
	(19) Included within cycling on the footpath (pavement).
	(20) October to December 1999 only.
	(21) November and December 1999 only.
	(22) October to December 2000 only.

Fixed Penalty Notices

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will arrange for the payment of fixed penalty notices issued in Great Britain to holders of driving licences issued in Northern Ireland to be payable by cheque without the necessity of appearance at court in Great Britain.

Caroline Flint: If a driver is able to avail himself of the fixed penalty system, he does not have to appear in court. Holders of driving licences issued in Northern Ireland are now in this position. The Crime (International Cooperation) Act 2003, which came into effect on 11 October 2004, allows NI driving licences holders to apply for a GB counterpart to the licence. The possession of the counterpart allows them access to the fixed penalty system for endorsable road traffic offences committed by them while driving in Great Britain.
	The decision to offer a fixed penalty is for the police. They may choose prosecution if they consider that the more appropriate course.

Foreign Agencies

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what correspondence his Department had with foreign agencies prior to the seizure of web servers from the office of Rackspace; from which agencies correspondence was received; and what authorisations were granted to these foreign agencies.

Caroline Flint: The Home Office received no correspondence from foreign agencies in relation to this matter, and gave no authorisations.

Forensic Science Service

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the proposal to convert the Forensic Science Service into a public-private partnership.

Caroline Flint: As my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary made clear following the independent review of the Forensic Science Service (FSS), radical change is the only realistic option if the potential for forensic science is to be maximised.
	Since then, we have been working closely with the FSS and the police to ensure that we are clear about how the necessary changes can best be managed, taking into account the demands of the criminal justice system, on-going developments in the use of forensic science and the business needs of the FSS itself.
	An Outline Business Case has been prepared that provides an analysis of those needs and of the forensic science market. The results are the subject of on-going discussions with key stakeholders.

Gambling

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment has been made of the likely impact of the provisions of the Gambling Bill on criminal activity.

Richard Caborn: I have been asked to reply.
	The Bill should ensure either a reduction or no increase in criminal activity associated with gambling, since it will extend the scope of effective regulation to forms of gambling which currently lack it and establish important new investigative and enforcement powers, including the power for the Gambling Commission to exchange information with other regulators.

Hunting

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he will take to enforce the proposed ban on hunting with dogs in the event of deliberate law-breaking.

Caroline Flint: Enforcing the proposed ban on hunting, as with other offences, is a matter for the police. The Association of Chief Police Officers have made it clear that they consider the Bill to be enforceable. Deferring commencement will help the police prepare for the ban.

Indymedia

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he authorised the seizure of web servers belonging to Indymedia.

Caroline Flint: I can confirm that no UK law enforcement agencies were involved, so no authorisations were needed.

Metropolitan Police

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officers serving in the Metropolitan police force have resigned from the force in each of the last three years to transfer to another police force in the United Kingdom.

Hazel Blears: The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis has advised me that the number of Metropolitan officers who have transferred to other UK forces in the previous three years is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2001–02 442 
			 2002–03 430 
			 2003–04 381 
		
	
	Note:
	The information has been recorded as full-time equivalent. The number of individual officers is not available. The recording period is from April to March, as per the financial year.
	The total police officer strength as at 31 March in each of the given years for the Metropolitan police is contained in the following table:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2001 24,878 
			 2002 26,223 
			 2003 27,984 
			 2004 29,735

Metropolitan Police

Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department keeps the funding of the Metropolitan Police Service's capital city functions under review; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The Metropolitan Police Service uniquely receives special additional provision within its police formula grant in recognition of its capital city and national functions. The additional provision was £207 million in 2004–05. The amount is reviewed annually and we are currently considering the level for next year. This will be announced shortly as part of the provisional funding settlement for 2005–06.

Motor Cycling

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what examples of best practice are available to (a) local authorities and (b) police authorities on (i) making provision for off-road motorcycles and (ii) tackling irresponsible off-road motorcycling.

Caroline Flint: We have given the police a power to seize any vehicle being used without authority off-road, or inconsiderately on-road, where such usage causes alarm, distress or annoyance. The vehicles are then released only on payment of prescribed fees for removal and storage. This puts an immediate stop to the nuisance. We are aware that a number of police forces have been working with their local authorities and other members of local crime and disorder reduction partnerships to make best use of this power and to take other steps to reduce the problem, including via the provision of facilities for lawful off-road motor-cycling. We are currently discussing with the Association of Chief Police Officers the effective use of the power, the identification of good practice and any need for further central guidance.

National Intelligence Model

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the implementation of the National Intelligence Model

Caroline Flint: Implementation of the National Intelligence Model (NIM) which was planned for in the 2001, "Policing a New Century" White Paper, has ensured that the NIM has become the cornerstone of policing in England and Wales. All 43 forces have now reached the minimum standards for NIM compliance.
	Police forces' approaches to implementation of NIM have varied both in format and intensity and the challenge now is for forces to continue to work on developing and enhancing the model in order to ensure that it is fully embedded in operational policing.

Overseas Corruption

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with which foreign jurisdictions his law enforcement agencies are co-operating on investigations into overseas corruption cases.

Caroline Flint: We cannot comment on individual reports received in order not to prejudice criminal investigations.

Police

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were in (a) Avon and Somerset and (b) East Somerset district in each quarter from 1992–93 to 30 September; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The latest available information on police officer numbers is published in Home Office Statistical Bulletin number 13/04, "Police Service Strength in England and Wales 31 March 2004", a copy of which should be available from the House of Commons Library or internet site http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/hosbpubs1.html.
	In England and Wales, the numbers of police officers employed in Avon and Somerset and East Somerset district are given in the following table. For Avon and Somerset police force area, only six monthly figures are available for years March 1995 to March 2004 and annual figures for March 1992 to March 1994.
	For East Somerset district, data are only available for March.
	
		
			  Avon and Somerset police force area East Somerset district 
			  Police officers Police staff Police officers 
		
		
			 March 1992 3,081 899 — 
			 March 1993 3,068 1,171 — 
			 March 1994 3,033 1,195 — 
			 March 1995 3,000 1,204 — 
			 September 1995 2,986 1,180 — 
			 March 1996 2,981 1,213 — 
			 September 1996 3,004 1,209 — 
			 March 1997 2,989 1,439 — 
			 September 1997 2,973 1,344 — 
			 March 1998 2,976 1,393 — 
			 September 1998 2,966 1,435 — 
			 March 1999 2,999 1,424 — 
			 September 1999 2,989 1,468 — 
			 March 2000 2,934 1,436 — 
			 September 2000 2,941 1,437 — 
			 March 2001 2,994 1,452 — 
			 September 2001 3,040 1,531 — 
			 March 2002 3,096 1,611 — 
			 September 2002 3,119 1,714 — 
			 March 2003 (23)3,149 (23)1,767 257 
			 September 2003 (23)3,273 (23)1,901 — 
			 March 2004 (23)3,401 (23)1,998 266 
		
	
	(23) Comparable with previously published data (i.e. excludes staff on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave).

Police

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the North Yorkshire Police Authority budget was met from council tax receipts in (a) 1997–98 and (b) 2004–05.

Hazel Blears: The information is set out in the table.
	
		
			  1997–98 2004–05 1 
		
		
			 Total gross revenue expenditure (£000) 74,485 132,874 
			 Total government funding(25)(£000) 59,295 79,957 
			 Proportion of gross revenue expenditure met  by government funding (percentage) 79.6 60.2 
			 Other(26)(£000) 1,990 3,964 
			 Proportion of gross revenue expenditure met  by other income (percentage) 2.7 3.0 
			 Council tax (£000) 13,200 48,953 
			 Proportion of gross revenue expenditure met  by council tax (percentage) 17.7 36.8 
		
	
	(24) 2004–05 estimates provided by North Yorkshire police.
	(25) Includes Principal Home Office police grant, ODPM Revenue Support Grant, National Non Domestic Rates, special grant, revenue for Airwave, Crime Fighting Fund, Rural Policing Grant, Loan Charges grant, and other smaller specific grants.
	(26) Includes all other force income and movements in reserves.
	Source:
	Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy Police Statistics (Actuals 1997–98).

Police

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have been recruited in England and Wales in each year since 2001.

Hazel Blears: Information on police officers joining the police service is published annually in a Home Office Statistical Bulletin. The latest figures appeared in Home Office Statistical Bulletin number 13/04, copies of which are available in the Library or on the internet site:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/hosbpubs1.html
	Police officers joining the service since 2001 in England and Wales are as follows:
	
		
			 As at 31 March: Number 
		
		
			 2001 7,415 
			 2002 10,215 
			 2003(27) 13,126 
			 2004(27) 13,137 
		
	
	(27) Not comparable with previous recruitment figures as data includes transfers from other England and Wales forces.

Police

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average number of arrests per day was for police officers in England and Wales in the six months (a) before and (b) after the commencement of the Charging Initiative of the Crown Prosecution Service.

Hazel Blears: The Charging Initiative is being implemented in two phases: statutory and shadow. In May 2004 the first area moved to statutory charging. The first areas to fully implement shadow charging went live in June 2004. Statutory charging will have been implemented in the 13 priority areas by November 2004. By the end of 2004–05 all but six areas will have full shadow charging in place.
	Figures for the number of persons arrested for notifiable offences are available centrally only up to 31 March 2003. Data for the financial year 2003–04 are due to be published in December 2004. No meaningful before and after comparisons will be available until the 2004–05 arrest data are published at the end of 2005.

Police

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which local authority wards comprise each police authority basic command unit in England and Wales.

Hazel Blears: The information requested will be placed in the House Library.

Police

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the future funding of (a) community support officers and (b) regular officers.

Hazel Blears: We have made £50 million available under the first phase of the Neighbourhood Policing Fund (NPF) to help forces recruit additional Community Support Officers (CSOs) by March 2005. Under this round we will pay 100 per cent. of salary costs, up to a maximum of £24,5000 per annum, until the end of 2005–06. We shall continue to meet at least 75 per cent. of the salary costs allocated in this round in 2006–07.
	The NPF will provide further support to deliver our target of 24,000 CSOs by 2008.
	We will also provide 50 per cent. of the salary and related costs of CSOs recruited as part of earlier funding rounds until the end of 2007–08.
	The provisional police funding settlement will be announced shortly and will be followed by a six week consultation period.

Police

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he will take to ensure that funding is available for moves to new technology in the police force.

Caroline Flint: The Home Office has and will continue to provide significant funding to support the delivery of new technology in the police force.
	The science and technology initiatives set out in the Home Office Science and Technology Strategy support the Government's key priorities for policing as set out in the National Policing Plan 2004–07. The Home Office will seek to fund these initiatives from the recent SR2004 settlement.

Police

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how cost implications of new technology for the police force are assessed and monitored by the Department.

Caroline Flint: The cost implications of new technology for the police force are subject to an assessment and monitoring process. As far as police information and communications technology is concerned the central customer function of the Police Information Technology Organisation (PITO) supports the police service in articulating its business requirements for ICT. Its function is to provide robust business cases and to encourage the deployment of solutions in forces that meet those needs and enable the realisation of policing benefits.
	The priorities and business requirements set by the central customer will fully reflect those set by the Department in the National Policing Plan and the Home Office Police Science and Technology Strategy.
	The police forces can also purchase technology based on local needs and priorities including non-ICT items of technology. These are assessed and costed locally by the police force and relevant police authority.
	PITO are currently subject to an end to end review and a key aspect of the review is how the provision of ICT to the police should be managed both nationally and locally. The findings of the review will be closely aligned to proposals currently under consideration as part of the Police Reform agenda.

Police

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have (a) been recruited to and (b) left the Avon and Somerset police force in each year since 1997.

Hazel Blears: The available information is given in the table:
	
		Avon and Somerset
		
			 As at 31 March: Joiners Leavers Total officer strength 
		
		
			 1997 174 160 2,989 
			 1998 138 148 2,976 
			 1999 142 104 2,999 
			 2000 104 146 2,934 
			 2001 184 160 2,994 
			 2002 274 156 3,096 
			 2003 (28)264 (29)205 (30)3,149 
			 2004 (28)389 (29)142 (30)3,401 
		
	
	(28) Not comparable to previous joining figures as data includes transfers from other England and Wales forces and officers returning after a period of secondment.
	(29) Not comparable to previous leaving figures as data does not include transfers to other England and Wales forces and officers leaving after a period of secondment.
	(30) Comparable with previously published data (i.e. excludes staff on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave.

Police

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there are in the London borough of Wandsworth; and how many are from ethnic minorities.

Hazel Blears: I am told by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (Sir John Stevens) that at the end of September 2004 the Wandsworth Operational Command Unit had 572 police officers of whom 39 (6.8 per cent.) were from ethnic minorities.

Probation Service

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long it took the Workload Measurement Tool Working Group for the Probation Service to be established.

Paul Goggins: A Project Board for the Workload Measurement Tool (WMT) first met on 25 April 2002, it included representatives from probation areas, the National Probation Directorate ( NPD ), Napo and Unison. A WMT user group comprising members of eight pilot areas, Napo, Unison and the Probation Board Association (PBA) was set up on September 2002.

RAF Fairfield

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons Gloucestershire Constabulary was not fully re-funded for the cost of policing RAF Fairfield during the recent Iraqi conflict.

Hazel Blears: The Home Secretary has agreed a special grant of £7.29 million towards the £7.72 million costs of policing RAF Fairford. This was over 94 per cent. of the total cost.
	Police authorities are normally expected to hold sufficient reserves to meet exceptional costs, up to a sum equal to one per cent. of the force budget. Grant is considered on the balance above this amount. In the extraordinary circumstances of this case the Home Secretary reduced the threshold to 0.5 per cent.

Road Safety

Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effects of the development of automatic number plate recognition on the level of enforcement of the ban on the use of hand-held mobile telephones while driving.

Caroline Flint: Police intercept teams stopped a total of 180,543 vehicles across 23 forces during a year-long pilot of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology from 1 June 2003 to 31 June 2004.
	44 per cent. (78,768) of all vehicle stops were as a result of officer observations as vehicles passed. Of these, 2.7 per cent. of stops were for the offence of using a hand-held mobile phone while driving.

Sexual Offences

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment has been made of sex abuse victims' satisfaction with their contact with the police.

Hazel Blears: Home Office Research Study 237 "Rape and sexual assault of women: the extent and nature of the problem—findings from the British Crime Survey" reports on the findings of self-completion questionnaires included in the 1998 and 2000 British Crime Surveys (BCS).
	This report showed that about a third of rape victims (32 per cent.) were "very satisfied" with the way in which the police handled their (most recent) case, and a further quarter (25 per cent.) were "fairly satisfied". However, about a fifth were "very dissatisfied" (22 per cent.), and 16 per cent. were "a bit dissatisfied". The remaining five per cent. said that it was too early to say. Table A7.3 in the report has further detail.

Terrorism Act

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the number of prosecutions resulting from arrests under section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

David Blunkett: Statistics on arrests, charges and prosecutions have recently been updated on the Home Office website. I think it would be useful to set out the full picture as follows. We are unable to provide figures for Section 41 in isolation.
	Police records show that from 11 September 2001 until 30 September 2004, 664 people were arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000.
	118 of these were charged under the Act. Of these, 44 were also charged with offences under other legislation. 135 were charged under other legislation. This includes charges for terrorist offences that are already covered in general criminal law such as murder, grievous bodily harm and use of firearms or explosives.
	17 Individuals have been convicted of offences under the Terrorism Act.
	The following table gives the outcome for those not covered previously:
	
		
			 Outcome Number 
		
		
			 Transferred to immigration authorities 55 
			 On bail to return 21 
			 Cautioned 7 
			 Dealt with under mental health legislation 7 
			 Awaiting extradition 1 
			 Returned to Prison Service custody 1 
			 Released without charge 315 
		
	
	At the time these figures were collated four individuals were not yet dealt with by police.
	There can be a number of reasons for the difference between the number of those arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000 and the number of charges resulting from those arrests. For example, where an intelligence-led search of premises is made as part of an investigation, the police may find more than one person there. In these circumstances it is possible that a number of individuals could be arrested and subsequently released without charge because it is not clear at that stage which is the individual sought. This was envisaged when Parliament approved the legislation.
	Alternatively, if the search is for explosives for example, the police may well arrest all the individuals found on the premises and hold them for questioning to establish what connection they have with any materials found. Again, those subsequently found not to be involved would be released without charge.
	It will continue to be the case that some persons arrested under the Terrorism Act will not subsequently be charged under the Act but will be charged with offences such as murder, grievous bodily harm, use of firearms or explosives which are contained within other Acts.
	Home Office Research Development and Statistics publish a Command Paper and supplementary volumes of criminal statistics annually. A breakdown of prosecutions and convictions under the Terrorism Act 2000 for 2001 and 2002 are in the accompanying table. Figures for 2003 will not be available until later in the year.
	
		Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates' courts and found guilty at all courts for offences under the Terrorism Act 2000, England and Wales 2001 and 2002(31)
		
			   2001 2002 
			 Offence description Statute Proceeded against Found guilty Proceeded against Found guilty 
		
		
			 Relating to membership of proscribed organisations Terrorism Act 2000, Sec.11 3 — 1 1 
			 Wearing any item of dress in support of a proscribed organisation Terrorism Act 2000, Sec.13a — — — — 
			 Wears, carries or displays any article in support of a proscribed organisation Terrorism Act 2000, Sec.13b — — 1 1 
			 Contributions towards acts of terrorism Terrorism Act 2000, Secs.15–18 and 22 1 — 8 1 
			 Failure to disclose knowledge or suspicion of acts of terrorism Terrorism Act 2000, Sec.19 — — — — 
			 Failure to leave a cordoned area immediately when ordered to do so by a constable in uniform Terrorism Act 2000, Sec.36(1)(a) — — 1 — 
			 Failure to leave premises, which abut or are wholly or partially within a cordoned area, immediately if ordered to do so by a constable in uniform Terrorism Act 2000 Sec.36(1)(b) — — 1 — 
			 Failure of driver or person in charge of a vehicle which is in a cordoned area to immediately move the vehicle if ordered to do so by a constable in uniform Terrorism Act 2000 Sec.36(c)(d)(e) — — — — 
			 Contravention or a prohibition or restriction order made by a constable in uniform to a cordoned area Terrorism Act 2000 Sec.36(f) — — — — 
			 Making any disclosure likely to prejudice an investigation about acts of terrorism or failing to disclose information about acts of terrorism Terrorism Act 2000 Sec.39 — — — — 
			 Failure to stop (Power to stop and search vehicles and pedestrians) Terrorism Act 2000, Secs.43, 44 and 47(1)(a)(b)(2) 1 — 1 — 
			 Wilful obstruction (Power to stop and search vehicles and pedestrians) Terrorism Act 2000, Secs.43, 44 and 47(1)(c) and (2) — — — — 
			 Failure to move vehicle when ordered to do so by a constable in uniform, (vehicle had been permitted to remain at rest in contravention of any prohibition or restriction) Terrorism Act 2000, Secs.48 and 51(2) — — — — 
			 Leaves a vehicle, or permits a vehicle to remain at rest, on a road in contravention of a prohibition or restriction Terrorism Act 2000, Secs.48 and 51(1) — — — — 
			 Provides instruction; invites another to receive instruction in weapon training. Terrorism Act 2000, Sec.54 1 — 1 — 
			 Directing terrorist training Terrorism Act 2000, Sec.56 — — 1 — 
			 Collect, record or possession of information or articles likely to be of use to Terrorists Terrorism Act 2000 Secs.57 and 58 — — 3 1 
			 Failure to furnish information when required by examining officer Terrorism Act 2000, Sch.7(5)(a) and (18) — — 1 — 
			 Failing to produce either a valid passport or identifying document when required by examining officer Terrorism Act 2000, Sch.7(5)(b) and (18) — — — — 
			 Failing to declare or produce any relevant documents when required by examining officer Terrorism Act 2000, Sch.7(5)(c)(d) and (18) — — — — 
			 Failing to submit to search by examining officer or person acting on his/her behalf Terrorism Act 2000, Sch.7(7)(8) and (18) — — — — 
			 Failing to complete and produce an embarkation card when required to by examining officer Terrorism Act 2000, Sch.7(16) and (18) — — 1 — 
			 Wilfully obstructing a constable in the execution of his duty in a cordoned area Terrorism Act 2000, Sch.5 Sec.36(1)(2) — — — — 
			 Wilfully obstructing or seeking to frustrate the object of a search in a cordoned area Terrorism Act 2000, Sch.5(1–3) — — — — 
			 Total — 6 — 20 4 
		
	
	(31) These data are on the principal offence basis.

Theft

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of thefts from farms in each of the past 10 years for which records are available.

Hazel Blears: No information is collected by the Home Office on thefts from farms. Such offences cannot be separately identified in the recorded crime series or in the British Crime Survey.

Vehicle Scanning System

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the impact that the increase in the funding for the vehicle scanning system will have on the number of police officers patrolling the roads.

Caroline Flint: My right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary, announced on 2 November 2004 that £15 million will be available to help the expansion of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) across England and Wales. This might include for example, converting existing CCTV systems to become ANPR-enabled and provide mobile technology.
	It will not lead to an increase in the number of police officers ANPR; rather it will enable existing police officers to use the latest available technology to build on the success highlighted by the Evaluation Report "Driving Down Crime".
	The Home Office will ask that forces who receive funding demonstrate their commitment to ANPR by deploying sufficient resources in order to maximise this investment opportunity while not diverting from other policing priorities.
	This funding represents a significant boost to ANPR. The Government are keen that the momentum provided by the ANPR pilot projects is maintained.

Wildlife Crime

Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the link between wildlife crime and organised crime.

Hazel Blears: The National Wildlife Crime Intelligence Unit of the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) monitors the links between organised wildlife crime and other areas of criminality, including money laundering, fraud, deception and distribution of drugs. That assessment by its very nature has operational and intelligence information not intended for publication.

Wildlife Crime

Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to ensure the employment of at least one full-time wildlife crime officer by each police force.

Hazel Blears: The employment of police officers in each force area is an operational matter for the chief officer concerned based on operational priorities.

Wildlife Crime

Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police forces have a full time wildlife crime officer.

Hazel Blears: Figures are not held centrally. The appointment of officers on operational duties is a matter for the chief officer of each individual force.

Young Offenders Institutions

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to outsource the management of young offenders' institutions; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: We are currently considering how to take forward contestability within the National Offender Management Service but no decision has yet been taken.

Young Offenders Institutions

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what educational assessments are carried out on each young offender entering each young offenders' institution.

Paul Goggins: Each young person entering custody undergoes a range of educational assessments. When they are referred to a young offenders' team by the police, they undergo a standard assessment with an assessment tool called ASSET. The assessment includes a section on education needs. They also undertake the PLUS Strategy assessment for literacy and numeracy and diagnostic assessment. They can be referred to an educational psychologist or the establishment's special education needs co-ordinator if there is a need identified during assessment and induction.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Caravan Parks

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what requirements are placed on the (a) owners and (b) operators of holiday caravan parks to ensure that ponds or lakes do not pose a safety hazard to children.

Jane Kennedy: The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSWA) protects members of the public affected by work related activity. HSWA will apply to holiday caravan parks.
	Employers or the self-employed are required to take reasonably practicable precautions to adequately control risks, including those posed by lakes or ponds. The duty holder can be the operator, owner or both depending upon the circumstance.
	Caravan parks, apart from the local authority owned ones, are also licensed under the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960. The local authority issues the licence.

Carers

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what financial support is available to people who are unable to work (a) full-time and (b) part-time because of caring responsibilities; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: Carers are entitled to the full range of social security benefits if they meet the usual qualifying rules. In particular, carer's allowance is available to those who are 16 years of age and over, not in full-time work and provide regular and substantial care for at least 35 hours a week to a severely disabled person. It is possible to combine entitlement to carer's allowance and part-time work provided that earnings do not exceed the national insurance lower earnings limit (currently £79 per week) after deduction of allowable expenses.
	Entitlement to carer's allowance gives carers access to the carer premium in income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit and to the carer's additional amount in pension credit. In addition, carers can get help through the carers grant which was introduced in 1999 to support local councils in providing breaks in caring and services for carers.

Departmental Offices

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of (a) decoration and (b) refurbishment of the London offices of the Department was in each of the last four years.

Maria Eagle: LandSecurities Trillium (LST) owns the estate occupied by the Department for Work and Pensions. Ownership of accommodation transferred to LST under a PFI scheme (PRIME) in 1998. This PFI Contract was further expanded in December 2003 to include the former Employment Service (ES) estate following the merger of the former Department of Social Security and ES to create DWP.
	Under the PRIME PFI Contract DWP pays a unitary charge that includes an element for all aspects of building maintenance and repair (which includes routine decoration and refurbishment), this is known as Life Cycle Capital Expenditure (LCCE). The elements of decoration and refurbishment cannot be disaggregated from the overall LCCE expenditure.

Departmental Publications (Access)

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of publications issued by his Department are available in (a) Braille, (b) autoprint, (c) large print and (d) easy read format.

Maria Eagle: We are committed to giving disabled people access to the same information as non-disabled people and ensuring a consistent approach in providing information to all our customers.
	We make a large number of our publications available in alternative formats, either readily available or upon request. Of 276 national publications, 50 are available in large print format, 64 are available in Braille, and 59 are available on audio tape.
	However, virtually all our publications are available in the above formats upon request.
	The Department does produce more publications than are detailed above. However, information concerning those publications could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Staff

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many full-time equivalent jobs (a) his Department and (b) its executive agencies had in (i) Yorkshire and the Humber and (ii) the City of York in (A) 1997 and (B) the latest year for which figures are available.

Maria Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend, the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office (Ruth Kelly) on 25 October 2004, Official Report, column 1053W.
	My hon. Friend's reply gave figures collected via the Cabinet Office mandate system. The figures in the following table are not collected by the mandate system and are in addition to those published. Figures are not available prior to April 2002.
	
		
			 Jobcentre Plus 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 City of York 100 90 90 
			 Elsewhere in Yorkshire and Humberside 3,950 4,190 4,000 
			 Total 4,050 4,280 4,090 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are full time equivalents and are consistent with Cabinet Office definitions.
	2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
	3. Temporary staff are not included.
	4. Figures are as at 30 April for 2002 and 31 March for 2003 and 2004.

Farm Machinery (Child Accidents)

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children under 16 were injured in accidents involving (a) tractors and (b) farm machinery in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: There were no reported injuries to children under 16 years involving tractors and three injuries to children under 16 involving other farm machinery in 2002–03. There was one fatality to a 12-year-old boy involving a tractor during the same period. Two children were run over and killed by farm vehicles in 2003–04. The latest provisional non-fatal injury figures for 2003–04 will be published on 18 November 2004.
	The small number of child farm deaths in recent years reflects the considerable effort invested by HSE and the farming community to tackle this problem, and the wider health and safety problems of the agricultural industry where deaths among the self-employed are a particular concern.

Greek Presidency

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU the Restricted Committee of the Safety and Health Commission for the mining and other extractive industries met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (a) technical and (b) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations the Committee produced during that period; what actions were (i) proposed and (ii) taken by (A) the EU and (B) the UK Government as a result of the Committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The Restricted Committee of the Safety and Health Commission for the Mining and Other Extractive Industries (SHCMOEI) met once, in Luxembourg on 4 June 2003, during the Greek presidency of the EU.
	A member of the Health and Safety Executive represented the UK Government at the 4 June 2003 Restricted Committee of the SHCMOEI.
	The UK Government representative raised technical issues relating to: the minutes of the previous meeting; proposed changes to the draft 2002 Annual Report of the Safety and Health Commission; a "Coal Worker Pneumoconiosis" document tabled for adoption and commented on the cancellation of a planned meeting of the Committee on Underground Workings.
	The UK Government representative did not raise any financial issues at the Restricted Committee of SHCMOEI on 4 June 2003.
	The Restricted Committee made the following recommendations: amended and approved the minutes of the previous meeting, agreed representation for the Advisory Committee planning group; amended and adopted the 2002 Annual Report of the Safety and Health Commission and agreed the date for their next meeting.
	I am not aware of any proposals for action or actions that were taken by either (A) the EU or (B) the UK Government as a result of the Restricted Committee's recommendations made by the SHCOMEI committee meeting on 4 June.

Greek Presidency

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU the Advisory Committee on employment met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (a) technical and (b) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations the Committee produced during that period; what actions were (i) proposed and (ii) taken by (A) the EU and (B) the UK Government as a result of the Committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Pond: There were four meetings of the Employment Committee during the Greek Presidency, on 28 January 2003 in Brussels, on 20/21 February in Vasilitsa (Greece) and on 23 April 2003 and 14–15 May 2003, both in Brussels.
	Officials from the Department for Work and Pensions attended all of these meetings. In addition: an official from the Department for Education and Skills attended one meeting; an official from the United Kingdom Permanent Representation to the EU attended another. An official from the Department for Work and Pensions chaired two of these meetings.
	During the Greek Presidency the Committee produced Opinions on: the preparation to the spring 2003 European Council; Commission proposals for a Council Decision on Guidelines for member states' employment policies; a Commission recommendation for a Council Recommendation on the implementation of member states' employment policies; and on a Commission recommendation on the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines. The Committee also agreed the work programmes for subsidiary Committees (the Committee on Employment Incentive Measures and the Indicators Group). The Employment Committee discussed several other issues, without making any formalised recommendations.
	Contributions by UK officials primarily focused on ensuring that outcomes reflected the broad policy principles of the Lisbon reform agenda, rather than specific financial or technical issues. The UK delegation consistently argued for a set of guidelines that reflected the reform agenda and were clear, simple and outcome focused.
	The EU and the UK took forward Committee's conclusions in the context of applying Article 128 of the Treaty establishing the European Community. The Council therefore takes the Committee's Opinion into account when agreeing the Employment Guidelines in accordance with Article 128.2, which the United Kingdom subsequently takes into account in national employment policies. On the basis of these Guidelines, the government produced the annual report referred to at Article 128.3 (ie the National Action Plan for Employment for 2004, copies of which were placed in the Library of the House on 19 October 2004.)
	For general information on the Greek Presidency please see Cm 6097 'Developments in the European Union, January to June 2003, the Greek Presidency' which was laid before Parliament in January 2004.

Guarantee Credit

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households were in receipt of the guarantee credit at the end of each of the past 12 months.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is given in the following table.
	
		Households in receipt of the guarantee element of pension credit, October 2003 to September 2004
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2003  
			 October 1,784,020 
			 November 1,837,225 
			 December 1,858,235 
			 2004  
			 January 1,879,015 
			 February 1,920,260 
			 March 1,979,445 
			 April 1,997,685 
			 May 2,018,180 
			 June 2,036,865 
			 July 2,049,260 
			 August 2,059,255 
			 September 2,065,455 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures are rounded to the nearest five.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 1 November 2004, Official Report, column 124W, on jobseeker's allowance, when figures will be available for 2003–04.

Chris Pond: We expect to publish estimates of the number of incorrect payments of jobseeker's allowance in 2003–04 in spring 2005.

Ministers' Private Offices

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the running costs of Ministers' private offices in his Department have been in each year since 1997.

Maria Eagle: The Department for Work and Pensions was formed in June 2001 from the former Department of Social Security and parts of the former Department for Education and Employment including the Employment Service. Expenditure prior to June 2001 relates solely to the former Department of Social Security.
	
		
			  Cost (£) 
		
		
			 2003–04 3,200,000 
			 2002–03 2,900,000 
			 2001–02 2,600,000 
			 2000–01 2,500,000 
			 1999–2000 2,600,000 
			 1998–99 2,300,000 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Information for 1997–98 is not available.
	2. Running costs cover the cash spend on the day-to-day expenditure for Ministers' private offices including: Ministers' and officials' civil service pay, travel and subsistence; resource spending on accommodation; capital charges; and office services, stationery, postage, and IT equipment.

Pension Credit

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are in receipt of pension credit in (a) Scotland and (b) the City of Edinburgh local authority area.

Malcolm Wicks: Information on the number of pension credit recipients in (a) Scotland and (b) the City of Edinburgh local authority area at the end of September is given in the table.
	
		Pension credit recipients—September 2004
		
			  Households Individuals 
		
		
			 Scotland 273,395 327,225 
			 City of Edinburgh 17,290 20,070 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest five
	2. Individual recipients include a small number of partners under age 60

Pension Credit

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for North Down (Lady Hermon) of 27 October 2004, Official Report, column 1289W, on pension credit, what the absolute figures for the male and female population aged 60 used for the answer were; and how many (a) men and (b) women are receiving pension credit.

Malcolm Wicks: The figures on which the answer was based are given in the following table. At 30 September there were (a) 1,067,650 male and (b) 2,117,030 female individual recipients of pension credit in Great Britain.
	
		Pension credit recipients as proportion of population aged 60 or over, England and Wales, 31 August 2004
		
			  Females Males 
		
		
			 Population aged 60 or over (number) 6,178,795 4,881,190 
			
			 Individual recipients of pension credit   
			 Number 1,888,920 951,355 
			 Percentage 30.6 19.5 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest five.
	2. Individual recipients include a small number of partners under age 60.

Pension Credit

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people living in the Weston-super-Mare constituency are (a) eligible for and (b) in receipt of pension credit.

Malcolm Wicks: Information on the number of people likely to be eligible for pension credit is not available at constituency level. However, we estimate that approximately 300,000 households in the South West Government Office Region (GOR), corresponding to approximately 400,000 individuals—rounded to the nearest 50,000—are likely to be eligible for pension credit in 2004–05. Information on the number of pension credit recipients in the South West GOR and in Weston-super-Mare at the end of September is given in the table.
	
		Pension credit recipients—30 September 2004
		
			  Households Individuals 
		
		
			 South West GOR 217,195 265,250 
			 Weston-super-Mare 5,080 6,145 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest five.
	2. Individual recipients include a small number of partners under age 60.

Pension Credit

Keith Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are (a) eligible for and (b) in receipt of pension credit in the Manchester, Withington constituency.

Malcolm Wicks: Information on the number of people likely to be eligible for pension credit is not available at constituency level. However, we estimate that approximately 500,000 households in the North West Government Office Region (GOR), corresponding to approximately 600,000 individuals (rounded to the nearest 50,000), are likely to be eligible for pension credit in 2004–05. Information on the number of pension credit recipients in the North West GOR and in Manchester Withington at the end of September is given in the table.
	
		Pension credit recipients—30 September 2004
		
			  Households Individuals 
		
		
			 North West GOR 348,525 420,680 
			 Manchester Withington 4,010 4,690 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest five.
	2. Individual recipients include a small number of partners under age 60.

Pension Service

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many letters of invitation were sent by the Pension Service to people coming up to pensionable age during the last financial year.

Malcolm Wicks: The number of automatic invitations issued to customers inviting a claim to state pension during the period April 2003 to March 2004 was 607,719.

Pensioners Poverty

Michael Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the cost of eradicating pensioner poverty.

Malcolm Wicks: The information requested is not available. Poverty and social exclusion are complex and multi-dimensional issues, affecting many aspects of peoples' lives—including their living standards, health, housing, the quality of their environment and not just low income. It is not therefore possible to estimate the cost of eradicating poverty with any assurance.
	The sixth annual "Opportunity for all" report (Cm 6239) sets out the Government's strategy for tackling poverty and social exclusion and reports progress against a range of measures. In 2002–03 the Government spent £6 billion a year more on pensioners than we would if policies in 1997 had continued. This helped to cut the number of pensioners in low income (in households under 60 per cent. of median income after housing costs) from £2.7 million to £2.2 million in 2002–03 (which does not reflect the introduction of pension credit). This year the Government is spending £10 billion more than we did under 1997 policies, of which £5 billion goes to the poorest third.

Pensioners Poverty

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the Department's estimate is of the number of pensioners in the UK.

Malcolm Wicks: The Government Actuary's Department currently estimates that there were 11.126 million pensioners in the UK at mid-year 2004. A pensioner is considered to be an individual over state pension age.

Pensioners Poverty

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been paid in means-tested benefits to pensioners in each year since 1999.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is in the table.
	
		Total income related benefits paid to pensioners
		
			   £ million 
			  Nominal terms 2004–05 prices 
		
		
			 1998–99 8,587 9,894 
			 1999–2000 8,876 10,007 
			 2000–01 9,435 10,518 
			 2001–02 10,190 11,075 
			 2002–03 10,596 11,143 
			 2003–04 11,125 11,382 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. All figures have been rounded to the nearest £ million.
	2. All figures quoted are income related benefits paid to people aged 60 and over.
	3. Totals include minimum income guarantee/pension credit, housing benefit and council tax benefit.
	Source:
	Figures as at Spending Review 2004, published on the internet at http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/expenditure.asp. table 7.

Pensions

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average amount of basic state pension paid to (a) men in their own right, (b) women in their own right and (c) couples was in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2003; and how many people were in each group in each year.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
	
		
			  Average basic state pension (£) Number of recipients of Category A basic state pension (Thousand) 
		
		
			 1997   
			 Men 61.51 3,490 
			 Women 50.54 1,626 
			 2003   
			 Men 75.94 3,808 
			 Women 62.71 1,912 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Basic state pension refers to Category A pensions obtained from a person's own national insurance contributions plus basic state pensions derived from a former spouse's national insurance contributions. It excludes people with entitlement to a Category A pension where their Category B pension is more than their Category A pension.
	2. Amounts are rounded to the nearest pence and numbers of recipients are rounded to the nearest thousand.
	3. Amounts and numbers are for Great Britain.
	Source:
	Figures are derived from a 5 per cent., sample of DWP administrative data taken at September in each year.

Pensions

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the (a) median and (b) mean pension income was in each year since 1997, broken down between (i) state benefits, (ii) occupational pension, (iii) personal pension, (iv) earnings and (v) other sources.

Malcolm Wicks: The information requested is in the tables.
	
		Table A: Mean incomes of pensioner units from 1996–97 to 2002–03, broken down by source income -- £ per week
		
			  1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 All pensioner units
			 Gross income 230 234 243 252 265 273 277 
			 Benefit income 121 123 124 130 133 139 142 
			 Occupational pension 59 61 63 65 70 72 74 
			 Personal pension 3 4 4 5 7 7 8 
			 Investment income 27 27 29 29 30 28 24 
			 Earnings 18 18 20 21 23 25 25 
			 Other income 1 1 2 2 3 3 3 
			 
			 Pensioner couples
			 Gross income 334 340 349 357 379 392 388 
			 Benefit income 148 149 149 156 159 165 170 
			 Occupational pension 97 100 102 102 114 113 114 
			 Personal pension 5 7 9 11 12 14 14 
			 Investment income 45 47 47 47 48 46 39 
			 Earnings 37 35 39 39 42 49 47 
			 Other income 1 2 2 2 3 4 4 
			 
			 Single pensioners
			 Gross income 165 167 176 183 192 194 203 
			 Benefit income 104 106 109 114 115 121 124 
			 Occupational pension 36 37 38 41 42 44 48 
			 Personal pension 1 1 1 1 3 2 3 
			 Investment income 16 15 18 17 19 16 15 
			 Earnings 6 8 8 8 10 9 11 
			 Other income 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 
		
	
	
		Table B: Net median income of pensioner units after housing costs -- £ per week
		
			  1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 All pensioners 126 131 134 142 148 159 164 
			 Pensioner couples 197 202 208 216 227 235 242 
			 Single pensioners 88 91 95 103 109 117 122 
		
	
	
		Table C: Median values of different sources of pensioner incomes for those in receipt -- £ per week
		
			  1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Occupational pension
			 All pensioners 56 60 60 63 66 71 74 
			 Pensioner couples 79 86 88 94 101 106 107 
			 Single pensioners 42 44 45 45 48 50 55 
			 
			 Personal pension
			 All pensioners 29 31 32 31 34 41 35 
			 Pensioner couples 35 32 40 41 38 44 37 
			 Single pensioners 23 27 21 19 29 34 26 
			 Investment income
			 All pensioners 6 5 6 5 5 5 4 
			 Pensioner couples 11 10 11 10 10 9 8 
			 Single pensioners 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 
			 
			 Earnings
			 All pensioners 130 125 158 146 155 137 156 
			 Pensioner couples 157 142 173 164 180 148 174 
			 Single pensioners 90 97 141 104 127 120 128 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Incomes are presented as pounds per week. Figures for incomes are given in 2002–03 prices and rounded to the nearest pound. Totals may not equal their components due to rounding.
	2. The Pensioners' Incomes Series analysis is for pensioner units, which are either: single pensioners (ie people over state pension age) or pensioner couples (i.e. married or cohabiting pensioners where the man is over state pension age.)
	Source:
	Tables A, B and C: The Pensioners' Incomes Series 2002–03 which is based on data from the Family Resources Survey.

Redeployment Units

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff in his Department and its agencies were in redeployment units during 2003; and how many have been in such units in 2004.

Maria Eagle: The Department did not have any redeployment units in 2003. The Pension Service redeployment unit was set up in July 2004 and is currently the only redeployment unit within the Department. 228 staff have been in the redeployment unit, 120 of whom have moved on.

Sign Language

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans there are to include (a) British and (b) Irish Sign Language in the European Charter of Minority Languages.

Maria Eagle: The Council of Europe's Charter for Regional or Minority Languages does not include provision for sign languages. The Council's Parliamentary Assembly made a recommendation to the Council on the protection of sign languages used in member states to which the Council's Committee of Ministers responded on 5 July 2004. The reply notes that before deciding on the question of any possible future instrument a study of the needs of sign language users should be conducted in consultation with them and their organisations. The Government have indicated a willingness to participate in further work to move the process forward.

Social Security Benefits

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has following the introduction of the Mental Capacity Bill to modernise the system for appointment to receive social security benefits in lieu of the beneficiary.

Maria Eagle: We are looking at our current appointee arrangements in the light of the Mental Capacity Bill, in particular the initial assessment of incapacity and 'best interests'. The proposed codes of practice will provide the opportunity to review and bolster our existing guidance and arrangements. We are also looking at possible post-appointment monitoring systems.

TV Licence Fees

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had, and with whom, on the possibility of changes to the present television licence fee for people who are in receipt of state retirement pension.

Estelle Morris: I have been asked to reply.
	A range of matters relating to BBC funding, including television licence fee concessions, need to be considered in the context of BBC Charter Review. As part of the Charter Review process, the Government have carried out an extensive public consultation exercise and have also commissioned supplementary research. In the course of this process a wide range of issues have been raised concerning the television licensing regime.

Women Pensioners

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the reasons for differences in the percentages of women pensioners entitled to a full basic state pension in England and Wales and in Northern Ireland.

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the reasons for the differences between the number of women pensioners in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) England and Wales in receipt of the full basic state pension.

Malcolm Wicks: The differences between the proportions of women receiving a full basic state pension in England and Wales and in Northern Ireland can be attributed to variations in the extent to which women's own contribution records entitle them to qualify for a full basic state pension in their own right: and numbers of women who are widowed or divorced and qualify for a full basic state pension based on their late or former husband's contributions.

Work-related Illness

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of working days lost in each year since 1997 as a result of work-related (a) illness and (b) stress in (i) England and (ii) each region, broken down by gender.

Jane Kennedy: Currently the only data on work-related sickness absence since 1997 is from the survey of work-related illness undertaken in 2001–02. Estimates of the number of working days lost in 2001–02 for all self-reported work-related illness and self-reported work-related stress, depression or anxiety from this survey are shown by English region in the table.
	Sample numbers are too small to provide reliable estimates for region by gender. However, for Great Britain as a whole an estimated 19.2 million working days were lost in 2001–02 due to work-related ill-health among males and 13.7 million among females. Similar estimates of working days lost in 2001–02 attributed to work-related stress, depression or anxiety in Britain indicate 6.3 million working days lost for males and 7.1 million working days lost for females.
	
		Thousand
		
			  Estimated working days lost in 2001–02 due to: 
			 English Government office region All work-related ill-health Work-related stress, depression or anxiety 
		
		
			 North East 1,979 (32)662 
			 North West 4,213 1,532 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 3,538 1,146 
			 East Midlands 1,918 687 
			 West Midlands 3,594 1,380 
			 East 2,560 921 
			 London 3,339 1,606 
			 South East 4,476 2,153 
			 South West 2,954 1,172 
			 All England 28,571 11,258 
		
	
	(32) This estimate is based on less than 40 sample cases.

Work-related Illness

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many instances of self-reported work-related stress there were in each of the last five years by women in the 16 to 34 year age range; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: Two surveys one in 1998–99 and one in 2001–02 provide estimates of the prevalence (long standing as well as new cases) of self-reported work-related stress, anxiety or depression since 1997. Data from these surveys indicates that the estimated prevalence of self-reported work-related stress, anxiety or depression among females aged 16 to 34 was 68,000 cases in 1998–99 and 85,000 cases in 2001–02. However, these survey data are not directly comparable because of a difference in survey methodology.

Work-related Illness

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the incidence of work-related mental illness in each of the last five years for (a) teachers, (b) police officers, (c) nurses and (d) prison workers; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The following table shows cases of work-related mental ill-health seen for the first time by psychiatrists and occupational physicians reporting to schemes in the Health and Occupation Reporting network (THOR) in each year from 1999 to 2003 for teachers, police officers, nurses and prison officers.
	
		
			  Estimated cases of work-related mental ill-health by years: 
			  1999 2000 2001 2002 2003(33) 
		
		
			 Teachers 565 612 732 425 391 
			 Nurses 576 468 552 532 628 
			 Police officers 276 204 252 275 289 
			 Prison officers (34)— (34)— (34)— (34)— 148 
		
	
	(33) Data for 2003 is based on a different occupational coding structure to the other years.
	(34) Number of reported cases are too low in individual years to make individual year estimates reliable. For all years 1999–02 there were in total an estimated 184 cases of work-related mental ill-health among prison officers.
	Source:
	THOR comprises seven surveillance schemes for work-related ill-health. Each scheme has reporters from a specific medical specialty and new cases seen by the specialist are reported that the specialist believes are related to work. This network is run for HSE by Manchester university.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Child Pornography

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons have been convicted of charges relating to the production, possession or distribution of material connected with child pornography in Northern Ireland in the past two years.

John Spellar: Offences relating to the production, possession or distribution of material connected with child pornography are prosecuted under the Protection of Children (NI) Order 1978. The following tables, which has been provided by NIO Research and Statistics Branch, details the number of convictions for offences related to child pornography in Northern Ireland for the years 2001 and 2002. This is the most current data available in the NIO courts dataset which is based on extractions from the PSNI operational database, ICIS (Integrated Criminal Information System).
	
		Table 1: Number of prosecutions for offences relating to obscene publications involving children
		
			 Offence 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Taking indecent photographs of children 0 0 
			 Distributing indecent photographs of children 3 2 
			 Possessing indecent photographs of children 0 0 
			 Possessing indecent photograph of a child 1 0 
			 Taking etc. indecent photographs or pseudo photographs of children 2 4 
			 Copying indecent photographs or pseudo  photographs of children 2 0 
			 Publishing advertisement relating to indecent photographs of children 0 1 
			 Total 8 7 
		
	
	
		Table 2: Number of convictions for offences relating to obscene publications involving children
		
			 Offence 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Taking indecent photographs of children 0 0 
			 Distributing indecent photographs of children 2 2 
			 Possessing indecent photographs of children 0 0 
			 Possessing indecent photograph of a child 1 0 
			 Taking etc. indecent photographs or pseudo photographs of children 2 4 
			 Copying indecent photographs or pseudo photographs of children 1 0 
			 Publishing advertisement relating to indecent photographs of children 0 1 
			 Total 6 7 
		
	
	Note:
	Where proceedings involve more than one offence dealt with at the same time, the figures relate to the principal offence. The basis for selection of the principal offence is laid down in rules by the Home Office. In summary these indicate that, where there is a finding of guilt, the principal offence is usually that for which the greatest penalty was imposed. Where there has not been a finding of guilt (e.g. on acquittal or committal for trial) it is usually that for which the greatest penalty could have been imposed.

Departmental Funding/Offices

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what amounts of the regional rate for 2003–04 were allocated to each Government Department in Northern Ireland.

Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for East Antrim (Mr. Beggs) on 25 October 2004, Official Report, column 1073W.

Departmental Funding/Offices

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost of (a) decoration and (b) refurbishment of the London offices of the Department was in each of the last four years.

Ian Pearson: The information requested is as follows.
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2000–01  
			 Refurbishment 3,836.34 
			   
			 2001–02  
			 Refurbishment 29,726.59 
			 Decoration 6,354.54 
			   
			 2002–03  
			 Refurbishment 36,724.72 
			 Decoration 1,054.59 
			   
			 2003–04  
			 Refurbishment No expenditure 
			 Decoration No expenditure

Crime

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) burglaries, (b) armed robberies and (c) car thefts have occurred in each of the Province's Westminster constituencies in each of the last six years.

Ian Pearson: The statistics are not held by Westminster constituency, however, the following table provides the information for each of the Province's district command units over the past six financial years.
	
		
			  1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 (a) Burglaries   
			 Northern Ireland 15,480 16,064 15,845 17,143 18,659 16,389 
			 Antrim 453 368 367 422 559 458 
			 Ards 582 746 766 630 749 667 
			 Armagh 310 338 469 421 503 425 
			 Ballymena 742 601 750 610 682 565 
			 Ballymoney 131 136 163 223 209 142 
			 Banbridge 231 304 377 343 364 336 
			 Carrickfergus 379 498 276 282 242 201 
			 Castlereagh 485 446 499 634 648 578 
			 Coleraine 524 669 552 738 683 623 
			 Cookstown 164 289 208 249 226 204 
			 Craigavon 497 667 676 1,041 1,289 1,034 
			 Down 722 716 659 749 914 770 
			 Dungannon and South Tyrone 426 514 512 403 445 342 
			 East Belfast 1,214 1,099 963 1,026 1,174 913 
			 Fermanagh 478 345 398 420 400 466 
			 Foyle 814 861 678 979 885 991 
			 Larne 227 252 232 260 263 186 
			 Limavady 230 256 251 248 235 239 
			 Lisburn 792 741 943 970 1,010 1,019 
			 Magherafelt 165 207 200 220 204 153 
			 Moyle 83 105 110 157 173 162 
			 Newry and Mourne 557 621 678 720 881 759 
			 Newtownabbey 725 744 693 845 937 862 
			 North Belfast 1,080 1,094 849 1,025 997 915 
			 North Down 675 738 737 691 855 734 
			 Omagh 465 444 421 377 399 360 
			 South Belfast 1,583 1,455 1,733 1,704 2,045 1,694 
			 Strabane 304 269 230 248 256 241 
			 West Belfast 442 541 455 505 432 350  
			 (b) Armed robberies   
			 Northern Ireland 632 682 927 1,191 1,375 1,042 
			 Antrim 26 20 20 32 31 25 
			 Ards 20 9 15 31 56 31 
			 Armagh 12 18 8 15 11 24 
			 Ballymena 53 22 17 27 11 21 
			 Ballymoney 6 7 14 6 8 6 
			 Banbridge 1 5 6 6 4 6 
			 Carrickfergus 11 8 22 28 20 14 
			 Castlereagh 19 27 30 36 72 53 
			 Coleraine 25 26 33 23 33 29 
			 Cookstown 2 6 6 4 3 4 
			 Craigavon 18 19 26 41 55 31 
			 Down 10 13 25 33 24 20 
			 Dungannon and South Tyrone 2 9 3 3 7 5 
			 East Belfast 56 80 75 121 137 106 
			 Fermanagh 6 4 5 7 6 12 
			 Foyle 51 43 35 35 34 39 
			 Larne 2 4 7 11 3 2 
			 Limavady 8 7 16 4 7 1 
			 Lisburn 36 29 48 55 53 62 
			 Magherafelt 2 4 3 6 3 6 
			 Moyle 2 1 5 2 2 5 
			 Newry and Mourne 37 25 26 38 45 39 
			 Newtownabbey 35 36 73 78 102 74 
			 North Belfast 54 43 97 154 223 133 
			 North Down 22 38 62 50 69 40 
			 Omagh 3 4 7 8 6 13 
			 South Belfast 62 104 149 245 239 169 
			 Strabane 7 13 11 10 10 7 
			 West Belfast 44 58 83 82 101 65 
			
			 (c) Theft/unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle  
			 Northern Ireland 9,715 10,196 10,806 11,635 8,410 5,369 
			 Antrim 382 268 254 307 263 188 
			 Ards 188 213 305 412 275 131 
			 Armagh 138 147 141 131 128 94 
			 Ballymena 220 175 117 160 133 120 
			 Ballymoney 37 32 44 35 43 27 
			 Banbridge 70 80 100 115 98 100 
			 Carrickfergus 88 108 119 108 118 50 
			 Castlereagh 306 379 325 454 284 182 
			 Coleraine 200 157 154 167 132 128 
			 Cookstown 81 88 75 87 60 59 
			 Craigavon 324 427 374 469 258 241 
			 Down 310 394 335 425 328 205 
			 Dungannon and South Tyrone 175 174 182 163 150 112 
			 East Belfast 418 538 587 611 640 267 
			 Fermanagh 135 118 126 112 92 75 
			 Foyle 412 329 255 350 265 243 
			 Larne 83 68 51 94 49 45 
			 Limavady 46 46 110 63 35 43 
			 Lisburn 1,033 1,220 1,223 1,061 757 546 
			 Magherafelt 136 76 90 58 75 29 
			 Moyle 41 32 33 51 51 28 
			 Newry and Mourne 387 423 379 474 404 280 
			 Newtownabbey 432 418 402 487 392 246 
			 North Belfast 880 896 1,023 1,248 882 568 
			 North Down 316 235 264 440 239 121 
			 Omagh 167 192 151 86 90 46 
			 South Belfast 1,618 1,785 2,312 2,593 1,472 732 
			 Strabane 64 52 95 77 87 53 
			 West Belfast 1,028 1,126 1,180 797 610 410

Fisheries

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the impact of increases in fuel prices on the viability of the Northern Ireland fishing fleet.

Ian Pearson: Fuel prices are particularly volatile at the moment and I am conscious that this may be having an impact on the local fishing industry in terms of vessel profitability. I have asked the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to continue to monitor the situation.

Economic Output Statistics

David Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the level of Gross Value Added per employee in the (a) manufacturing sector and (b) private services sector was in each year from 1997 to 2003 in Northern Ireland.

Barry Gardiner: The Office for National Statistics has responsibility for official productivity measures, but do not produce regional estimates of GVA per employee by industrial sector as requested. However, the Department of Trade and Industry publishes GVA per workforce job by broad industry sector for the UK regions. The most recent Northern Ireland and UK data available for this measure is provided in the following table for 1997 to 2001.
	
		Gross value added per workforce job(35) by broad industrysector for NI and UK -- £000
		
			  UK NI 
		
		
			 Manufacturing   
			 1997 34.2 28.8 
			 1998 34.5 29.4 
			 1999 35.7 31.7 
			 2000 36.8 34.2 
			 2001 38.2 36.2 
			 Services   
			 1997 23.2 20.7 
			 1998 24.1 21.7 
			 1999 25.0 22.2 
			 2000 25.8 22.6 
			 2001 26.9 23.3 
		
	
	(35) Workforce jobs are calculated by summing employee jobs, self-employment jobs from the Labour Force Survey, HM Forces and government-supported trainees.
	Source:
	Regional and Local Division, ONS and Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment

Housing Executive

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many properties owned by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in 2003 took three months or more to repair and refurbish after the departure of the previous tenant.

John Spellar: The information is not available. However, the Housing Executive, as part of the good management of its stock, carries out post vacancy inspections and depending on demand for housing in the area, any work required to be done will be prioritised with a view to having it completed within a maximum of six weeks from the date the contract is awarded. Basic health and safety checks of the electric and heating systems would be undertaken within one to two days and the timescale for completing other work would vary according to the cost and nature of the work.

Part-time Reserve

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reasons new members of the part-time reserve are allowed to serve beyond the age of 62 years; what plans he has to amend this policy; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: In accordance with the Police Service of Northern Ireland Reserve (Part-Time) Regulations 2004, part-time reserve members appointed after 8 February 2004 (the date on which the regulations came into force) shall be compulsory retired at age 65. These regulations also contain transitional arrangements for existing part-time reserve members.
	I have been informed by PSNI that given the community focus of the new part-time officers (as per Patten), it makes sense for their composition to reflect more broadly the community at large. This includes, inter alia, attracting older applicants. It was for this reason that the PSNI recommended an upper age limit of 65 and they have advised there are no plans to amend this position.

Police Recruitment

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the recruitment figures have been for (a) the Police Service of Northern Ireland and (b) the Royal Ulster Constabulary in each of the last 10 years.

Ian Pearson: The following table provides the total number of recruits to the Royal Ulster constabulary and the Police Service of Northern Ireland from 1994 to date:
	
		
			  Number of recruits 
		
		
			 RUC year  
			 1994 195 
			 1995 175 
			 1996 226 
			 1997 287 
			 1998 179 
			 1999 243 
			 2000 36 
			 PSNI year  
			 2001 106 
			 2002 475 
			 2003 448 
			 2004 (To date) 494

Pre-school Education

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will provide sufficient funding to ensure all children in nursery education benefit from having a teacher fully qualified in nursery education.

Barry Gardiner: All children in nursery education do receive their pre-school education from a fully qualified teacher.

PSNI Flag

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what advice the Northern Ireland Office has given the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Chief Constable regarding the flying of the PSNI flag at police stations on official flag days.

Ian Pearson: It is solely a matter for the Chief Constable to decide when the PSNI flag is flown in line with the Police Emblems and Flags Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002. A copy of these regulations is available in Library of the House.

Public Appointments

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 2 November 2004, Official Report, columns 242–43W, on public appointments, what action is being taken regarding the levels of appointments from the Protestant community to temporary positions in the general service grades of the (a) Northern Ireland Civil Service and (b) Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

Ian Pearson: Protestants and men are currently under-represented in temporary positions in the general service grades of the Northern Ireland Civil Service. To encourage applications from these groups advertisements for general service temporary positions have included the following welcoming statement:
	"As Protestants and men are currently known to be under-represented among applicants for employment in this grade in the NICS, applications from the Protestant section of the community and from men would be particularly welcome."
	As part of current outreach measures, Recruitment Service attends careers events throughout Northern Ireland to encourage young people to consider a career in the Northern Ireland Civil Service. Officials from my Department have also met careers teachers from a predominantly Protestant catchment area in an initiative to ensure that careers in NICS are perceived in a positive way by young Protestant school leavers and that applications received are representative of the entire community. Further outreach measures consistent with achieving a more representative and diversified workforce in the NICS are now being developed. The Northern Ireland Housing Executive has implemented an Affirmative Action Plan in agreement with its Board and the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland. The Plan outlines a series of measures developed to specifically encourage the Protestant community to consider working for the Housing Executive in the future, and therefore apply for vacancies, whether permanent or temporary, when they arise. The measures put in place include:
	a. ensuring the recruitment process is targeted effectively;
	b. encouraging more applications through the establishment of a community out reach service;
	c. promoting employment opportunities through a schools programme; and
	d. carrying out research on equality and employment opportunities as well as gauging public perception in relation to the organisation as a potential employer.

Republican Terrorism

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on republican terrorism in the last 12 months.

Ian Pearson: The Provisional IRA maintains its capability but as the recent IMC report states, there is no evidence of intent to return to a campaign of widespread terrorism and its paramilitary activities have declined in recent months. Dissident republicans have continued to carry out attacks although many of their activities have been thwarted, intercepted or nullified by the security forces. INLA's activities have been confined principally to 'civil administration'. The report by the Independent Monitoring Commission published on 4 November gives further details of the activities of all republican terrorist organisations.

Strategy 2010

David Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what procedures are in place to assess the progress Strategy 2010 is making towards meeting its 10-year targets; what progress has been made since 1999; and if he will make a statement on the relationship between Strategy 2010 and the draft Economic Vision published in October.

Barry Gardiner: The Economic Development Forum (EDF), chaired at ministerial level, was set up as one of the recommendations of Strategy 2010. Subsequently EDF used the information in Strategy 2010, including proposals on targets, in formulating its Medium Term Strategic Priorities (MTSPs) and associated targets for the Northern Ireland economy. EDF has given a commitment to monitor Northern Ireland's economic performance against targets on an annual basis. EDF's first statement on progress towards the MTSPs targets was published in January 2004.
	The draft Economic Vision is a proposed corporate and cohesive view of the Northern Ireland economy going forward and overarches all other strategies.
	Copies of the MTSPs and the draft Economic Vision referred to above have been placed in the House Library.

Student Suspensions

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many students have been suspended from each of Northern Ireland's universities in each of the last five years; and how many have been suspended for anti-social behaviour that took place off-campus.

Barry Gardiner: Universities are independent, autonomous institutions responsible for their own policies and practices in relation to student discipline, where appropriate. The Department for Employment and Learning does not maintain statistics pertaining to student discipline as this lies within the locus of the Universities. Queen's University and The University of Ulster have provided statistics on suspensions within their Institutions.
	
		
			 Calendar year/University Suspended from University Suspended because of off campus antisocial behaviour 
		
		
			 Queen's University Belfast   
			 2000 812 0 
			 2001 951 0 
			 2002 2,797 0 
			 2003 1,246 0 
			 2004(36) 8 0 
			
			 University of Ulster   
			 2000 8 0 
			 2001 30 1 
			 2002 9 0 
			 2003 47 2 
			 2004(36) 8 8 
		
	
	(36) As at 21 October 2004.

Terrorism Act

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have been arrested and charged under the Terrorism Act 2000 in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years.

Ian Pearson: The following table provides details of the number of persons arrested and charged under section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000 from 19 January 2001 (when the Act came into force) to 31 December 2003.
	
		
			  Number of persons arrested Number of persons charged 
		
		
			 19 February–31 December 2001 179 50 
			 2002 236 80 
			 2003 359 121 
		
	
	Sources:
	NIO Research and Statistical Bulletins 7/2002, 4/2003 and 3/2004—'Northern Ireland Statistics on the Operation of the Terrorism Act 2000: Annual Statistics 2001, 2002 and 2003'.

Water Charges

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether charges for water applied through the regional rate will be removed when water meters are introduced.

Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 25 October 2004, Official Report, column 1073W.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Civil Servants

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average length of continuous service for civil servants within the Department is.

Charles Clarke: I would refer my right hon. Friend to the reply given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 3 November 2004, Official Report, column 268W.

Departmental Offices

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost of (a) decoration and (b) refurbishment of the London offices of the Department was in each of the last four years.

Stephen Twigg: The cost of decoration and refurbishment carried out in my London Headquarter Offices in each of the last four years is set out in the following table:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2000–01 774,744 
			 2001–02 1,335,207 
			 2002–03 1,154,363 
			 2003–04 2,108,082 
		
	
	The way in which my Department holds the information means we are unable to break the figures down.

Foreign Language Teaching

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to ensure that there are adequate numbers of teachers available to teach foreign languages in primary schools.

Charles Clarke: There has been considerable progress on the development of language learning in primary schools, underpinned by the launch in December 2002 of the Government's National Languages Strategy for England. Implementation of the Strategy is being driven by Lid King, the National Director for Languages.
	The Strategy recognises the importance of developing a workforce and resources to support successful implementation of primary language learning, and much of our work to date has focussed on these areas.
	In developing a school workforce, we are building up a cadre of specialist teachers and non-teacher specialists to support primary language learning. 580 places have been allocated this year for Primary Initial Teacher Training with a specialism in French, German, Spanish or Italian, and we intend to expand this programme further next year. This means that over 1200 teacher trainees will have been trained by the end of this year. In addition we have allocated 50 primary MFL places a year to the Graduate Teacher Programme.
	For existing teachers, we have funded primary MFL Advanced Skills Teacher posts and are working with the TTA to develop and pilot CPD courses for existing primary teachers to enhance language skills and MFL pedagogy.
	For non-teacher specialists, we are working with the British council to extend the foreign language assistants programme into primary schools, and are developing training for teaching assistants to support primary language learning.

Information Technology (Schools)

Dan Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what research has been commissioned to establish the proportion of (a) primary and (b) secondary teachers who were confident about using ICT in each year since 1997.

Charles Clarke: My Department has carried out an annual survey of ICT in schools since 1998 which includes a question about the confidence of teachers in using ICT in their job. The full survey data is in the House of Commons Library. It shows that the percentage of teaching staff who feel confident to use ICT in their subject teaching has risen as follows:
	
		
			  Primary Secondary 
		
		
			 1998 65 61 
			 1999 68 66 
			 2000 67 65 
			 2001 76 70 
			 2002 81 75 
			 2003 87 82 
		
	
	Although my Department has not commissioned any research studies specifically about teachers' confidence in using ICT, this topic has been covered in a number of other recent research and evaluation studies, such as the evaluations of Computers for Teachers, Laptops for Teachers and Curriculum Online.
	References:
	Becta (2001) Computers for Teachers: An evaluation of Phase 1: survey of recipients. NGfL Research and Evaluation Series No. 3. Becta/DfES.
	Kington, A. et al (2003) Computers for Teachers: a qualitative evaluation of Phase 1. ICT in Schools Research and Evaluation Series No. 14. Becta/DfES.
	Kitchen, S. et al (2003) Evaluation of Curriculum Online: Report of the baseline survey of schools. ICT in Schools Research and Evaluation Series No. 15. Becta/DfES.
	Cunningham, M. et al (2004) Laptops for Teachers: An evaluation of the first year of the initiative. ICT in Schools Research and Evaluation Series No. 19. Becta/DfES.

Information Technology (Schools)

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in the constituency of Bolsover were connected to the internet at the latest available date.

David Miliband: The information is not available in the form requested.
	It is estimated from a sample survey of schools that over 99 per cent. of both primary and secondary schools in England were connected to the internet at 31 March 2003.
	The latest provisional data on ICT in schools was published in the Statistical First Release "Survey of Information and Communications Technology in Schools 2004", which is available on the Department's website www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/.

School Governors

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what rights of appeal a school governor has against suspension.

David Miliband: A school governor has no right of appeal against suspension.
	Any motion to suspend a governor must be specified as an agenda item of a meeting for which at least seven days notice must be given. Before the governing body votes to suspend a governor, the governor or governors proposing the suspension must give their reasons for doing so and the governor who is proposed for suspension must be given the opportunity to make a statement in response. A vote on the issue must then be taken at a meeting of the full governing body.
	A governing body can only decide to suspend a governor in the very limited range of circumstances as set out in the School Governance (Procedures) (England Regulations 2003. These are:
	(a) the governor is paid to work at the school and is the subject of disciplinary proceedings in relation to his employment; or
	(b) the governor is the subject of any court or tribunal proceedings, the outcome of which may be that he is disqualified from continuing to hold office as a governor under schedule 6 of the Constitution Regulations; or
	(c) the governor has acted in a way that is inconsistent with the school's ethos or with the religious character and has brought or is likely to bring the school or the governing body or his office of governor into disrepute; or
	(d) the governor is in breach of his duty of confidentiality to the school or to the staff or to the pupils.

School Governors

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what process a school governing body has to undertake to remove a governor.

David Miliband: A governing body may remove from office community governors, any parent governors who have been appointed, and sponsor governors. Sponsor governors may also be removed at the request of the nominating body. The governing body may not remove any parent governors who have been elected, any staff governors or any LEA governors. LEA governors may, however, be removed by the LEA that appointed them. In the case of the removal of any community governor, appointed parent governor, or sponsor governor whose removal is requested by the governing body, the governor(s) proposing the removal must give the reasons for the proposed removal and the governor in question must be given the opportunity to make a statement in response before a vote is taken on a resolution to remove the governor in question.
	A governing body's decision to remove any community, sponsor, or appointed parent governor must be confirmed at a second meeting not less than 14 days after the first meeting. At both meetings, the removal of the governor in question must be specified as an agenda item.

School Inspections

Debra Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will reduce the inspection requirements on schools with a good inspection track record.

David Miliband: In June 2004, the Department and Ofsted published "A New Relationship with Schools", setting out our plans for a shorter, sharper school inspection system, based around a schools own self-evaluation. From September 2005 all school inspections will provide schools with less notice of an inspection, involve fewer inspectors, spending less time in schools. Hence all schools will experience a significantly reduced weight of inspection. The proposals will require that all schools be inspected at least once every three years, providing more relevant information for parents and their communities, but will operate such that higher performing schools can expect to receive fewer inspection visits. There are no plans to introduce further differentiation in inspection requirements at this stage.

Teacher Applicants

Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many applicants have been refused in each year since the establishment of qualified teacher status.

David Miliband: This information is not collected centrally.

School Targets

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list all the schools targets set by the Government in Spending Reviews since 1997, indicating whether or not they have been reached.

David Miliband: The following table lists all the schools targets set by the Government in spending reviews since 1997. My hon. Friend may wish to note that only CSR 1998 targets have had a final assessment, all others are ongoing. Progress reports against PSA targets from the 2000 and 2002 Spending Reviews are set out in the 2004 DfES departmental report, a copy of which I have placed in the House of Commons Library.
	
		Annex A: Reconciliation table—DfES targets
		
			 CSR 1998 PSA Targets Spending Review 2000 PSA Targets Spending Review 2002 PSA Targets Spending Review 2004 PSA Targets 
		
		
			 1. The number of pupils aged five, six or seven in infant classes of over 30 to fall from 477,000 to zero by September 2001 at the latest. Target met
			 2. Increase the proportion of those aged 11 meeting the standard of literacy for that age (level 4 in the Key Stage 2 test) from 63 per cent. to 80 per cent. by 2002. 75 per cent. by 2002 3. Increase the proportion of those aged 11 meeting the standard of numeracy for that age (level 4 in the Key Stage 2 test) from 62 per cent. to 75 per cent. by 2002. 73 per cent. by 2002 1. Increase the percentage of 11 year olds at or above the expected standard of literacy and numeracy for their age. By 2004:  Increase the percentage of children who achieve level 4 in each of the key stage 2. English and maths tests beyond the targets for 2002 of 80 per cent. in English and 75 per cent. in maths to 85 per cent. by 2004; and Reduce to zero the number of local education authorities where fewer than 78 per cent. of pupils at level 4 or above achieve these standards. 1. Raise standards in English and maths so that:  by 2004, 85 per cent. of 11-year-olds achieve level 4 or above and 35 per cent. achieve level 5 or above with this level of performance sustained until 2006; and by 2006, the number of schools in which fewer than 65 per cent. of pupils achieve level 4 or above is significantly reduced. 1. Raise standards in English and maths so that:  by 2006, 85 per cent. of 11-year-olds achieve level 4 or above, with this level of performance sustained to 2008; and by 2008, the proportion of schools in which fewer than 65 per cent. of pupils achieve level 4 or above is reduced by 40 per cent. 
			 4. A reduction by one third in school truancies (from 0.7 per cent. to 0.5 per cent. half days missed a year through unauthorised absence); (Unauthorised absence remained at 0.7 per cent. as it has since 1994) and exclusions (from 12,500 to 8,400 permanent exclusions a year) by 2002. Target met 2. On pupil inclusion:  By 2004, reduce school truancies by 10 per cent. compared to 2002 and to sustain the new lower level, and improve overall attendance levels thereafter. ensure that all pupils who are permanently excluded obtain an appropriate full-time education.  2. Improve levels of school attendance so that by 2008, school absence is reduced by 8 per cent. compared to 2003. 
			 5. Increase the proportion of those aged 16 who achieve one or more GCSEs at Grade G, or equivalent from 92 per cent. to 95 per cent. by 2002. 94.6 per cent. by 2002
			 6. Increase the proportion of those aged 16 who achieve five or more GCSEs at Grades A*-C from 45 per cent. to 50 per cent. by 2002. Target met (51.6 per cent.) 3. Increase the percentage of pupils obtaining five or more GCSEs at grades A*-C (or equivalent):  increase the proportion achieving the standard by 4 percentage points between 2002 and 2004; and at least 38 per cent. to achieve this standard in every LEA by 2004. 3. Raise standards in schools and colleges so that:  between 2002 and 2006 the proportion of those aged 16 who get qualifications equivalent to five GCSEs at grades A*-C rises by 2 percentage points each year on average and in all schools at least 20 per cent. of pupils achieve this standard by 2004 rising to 25 per cent. by 2006: and 3. By 2008, 60 per cent. of those aged 16 to achieve the equivalent of 5 GCSEs at grades A*-C; and in all schools, at least 20 per cent. of pupils to achieve this standard by 2004, rising to 25 per cent. by 2006 and 30 per cent. by 2008. (This target may be reviewed in the light of recommendations in the Tomlinson report.) 
			  4. Increase the percentage of 14 year olds at or above the standard of literacy, numeracy, science and ICT for their age.  by 2007, 85 per cent. to achieve level 5 or above in each of the key stage 3 tests in English, maths and ICT and 80 per cent. in science; as milestones towards that target 75 per cent. to achieve level 5 in English, maths and ICT and 70 per cent. in science by 2004; by 2004, as a minimum performance target at least 65 per cent. to achieve level 5 and above in English and maths, and 60 per cent. in science in each LEA; and by 2004, no more than 15 per cent. of pupils will fail to attain at least one level 5. 4. Raise standards in English, maths, ICT and science in secondary education so that:  by 2004, 75 per cent. of 14-year-olds achieve level 5 or above in English, maths and ICT (70 per cent. in science) nationally and by 2007, 85 per cent. (80 per cent. in science): by 2007, the number of schools where fewer than 60 per cent. of 14-year-olds achieve level 5 or above is significantly reduced; and by 2007, 90 per cent. of pupils reach level 4 in English and maths by age 12. 4. Raise standards in English, maths, ICT and science in secondary education so that:  by 2007, 85 per cent. of 14-year-olds achieve level 5 or above in English, maths and ICT (80 per cent. in science) nationally, with this level of performance sustained to 2008; and by 2008, in all schools at least 50 per cent. of pupils achieve level 5 or above in each of English, maths and science. 
			  5. Increase the percentage of pupils obtaining five or more GCSEs at grades A*-G (or equivalent), including English and maths: by 2004, 92 per cent. of 16 year olds should reach this standard.   
			  6. Complete benchmarking work for schools by December 2002 so that schools will then be able meaningfully to compare costs with one another and thus improve value for money year on year. Progress reported in Departmental Report in 2003 as being 'A framework of Consistent Financial Reporting has been established requiring all maintained schools to report their accounts in a standardised way and treated as 'Met'. This will be formally signed off in 2004.   
			   5. Enhance the take-up of sporting opportunities by 5- to 16-year-olds by increasing the percentage of school children who spend a minimum of two hours each week on high quality PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum from 25 per cent. in 2002 to 75 per cent. by 2006. Joint target with Department for Culture, Media and Sport. 5. Enhance the take-up of sporting opportunities by five to 16 year olds so that the percentage of school children in England who spend a minimum of two hours each week on high quality PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum increases from 25 per cent. in 2002 to 75 per cent. by 2006 and to 85 per cent. by 2008, and to at least 75 per cent. in each School Sport Partnership by 2008. (Joint target with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport)